Real Madrid, who remain unbeaten so far this term, claimed their place in the Champions League last-16 draw after picking up a point against Shakhtar Donetsk at the Legia Warszawa Stadium. The game started with a beautiful gesture of Madridista fans who showed a choreography supporting the captain Karim Benzema in his Ballon D’Or race as the winner will be announced on Monday, October 17. Zubkov’s strike shortly after the restart handed the Ukrainians the lead, but the European champions always battle until the last and a towering Antonio Rüdiger header in added time secured the point required to advance to the next round. Carlo Ancelotti’s men will progress as group winners should they clinch a point against Leipzig in the next matchday.
It was a balanced game but with Madrid however being more dangerous and controlling the ball more than the opponent. Shakhtar was very organized and tried to use the counter attacks creating a quite a few problems for Ancelotti’s men. Their will to be clinical gave the results only in the beginning of the 2nd half but that made everything harder for Madridistas who had to cope with the increasing pressure of the remaining minutes which were less than a half gameplay time. Ancelotti’s subs gave more energy to the team but the Whites had to wait until the very last action to level the game.
Madrid dominated proceedings, but Shakhtar were very well organized defensively and only allowed the visitors one sight of goal in the opening half an hour. That chance came in the 18th minute, when Karim Benzema got in behind the home defence and controlled the ball inside the box, before unleashing a left-footed effort that Trubin punched away. Ten minutes before the break, Ancelotti’s troops had a fine opportunity to get their noses in front when a sublime back-heeled pass from Benzema found Rodrygo, whose shot from a rather tight angle yielded a corner for the visitors.
Shakhtar, who looked like they had learned a lesson or two after what their coach Igor Jovicevic called a nervous display at the Bernabeu last week, began to put pressure on Los Blancos towards the end of the half, with Nacho coming to the rescue on more than one occasion. Madridistas tried to react and Federico Valverde's bending strike looked quite dangerous with more than 40 minutes gone, but it was palmed over.
The visitors couldn’t have got off to a worse start, as Zubkov put the hosts ahead a minute after the restart. The Whites almost drew level on 48’ when Tchouameni‘s powerful header from a set piece went narrowly wide of the goal. Three minutes later, Benzema almost levelled from inside the area, but his shot on the turn sailed over the crossbar. The madridistas then pressed higher up the pitch, which meant that gaps were left at the back for the hosts to exploit on the counter-attack, with Traoré striking the woodwork in the 65th minute.
Real Madrid went close again eight minutes later through Kroos, who fired a long-range effort inches off target. On 87’, Vini Jr. got on the end of a pinpoint cross from Lucas Vázquez, but the Brazilian headed over from an unmarked position. In stoppage time, Rüdiger also nodded the ball just wide of the post. But the German popped up again in the dying seconds, outjumping Trubin to head the ball into the net and earn Madrid a point which seals their place in the last 16. His equaliser side saw his head get clashed with goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin’s fist, who was attempting to save the shot. Unfortunately, after the goal, the German had to be treated by the medical team to stop the bleeding.
Late goals: Last season Real Madrid were kings of the late goal in Europe. No team in any of the top five leagues scored more goals in the last 15 minutes of UEFA matches than Los Blancos. And so there must have felt like inevitability when Rüdiger, at great personal damage to his nose, rose up to head home the added time equaliser. A dramatic finale to an underwhelming Madrid performance but yet another demonstration of their champion-mentality.
An interesting fact: The Whites have advanced from the group stage in every season since the new format was introduced in the 1995/96 campaign. Real Madrid have now competed in the group stage in 31 campaigns and have progressed on each occasion, including the second group stages that were a feature of the competition between the 1999/00 season and the 2002/03 campaign. The madridistas are the only side to boast this clean sweep since the competition’s inception and are also the team to have qualified for the Champions League knockout stage on the most occasions.
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