Real Madrid 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk: Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior score

Real Madrid 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk: Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior score as holders make it three wins from three in Champions League… but Carlo Ancelotti is left frustrated with lack of ruthlessness

• Real Madrid secured a 2-1 win at home to Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night
• Rodrygo and Vincius Junior scored before Oleksandr Zubkov got a goal back
• Carlo Ancelotti was frustrated with the lack of ruthlessness from Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti was left fuming at times at the Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid could only narrowly beat Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 despite dominating for ninety minutes.

He had watched his team fluff enough chances to win three games and then carelessly concede to allow the Ukrainians back into it. Rarely will a win, keeping them top of the group, have upset him so much. ‘We could have won it 7-1,’ Toni Kroos said post-match and he was not exaggerating.

Real Madrid were 2-1 up at half time. Rarely has a more one-sided first 45 minutes ended with the scoreline so close. Madrid had 14 shots in the first 35 minutes but only scored twice.

Vinicius Junior scored as Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory  at home to Shakhtar Donetsk

The first came on 13 minutes when Rodrygo got two goes at a shot from the edge of the area and buried the second.

On 28 minutes Madrid doubled the lead and the team goal was sublime. Aurelien Tchouameni started the move passing to Karim Benzema. He played the ball to Fede Valverde who gave the ball back to the Frenchman who found Rodrygo. The Brazilian slipped the ball through to his compatriot Vinicius and he scored past Anatolii Trubin.

The Shakhtar keeper was increasingly nervous and spilled one shot that Valeriy Bondar then had to clear off the line. Benzema and Vinicius then swapped passes and this time Trubin saved well.

By the 38 minute mark it could have been all over instead Shakhtar found themselves back in it when Dani Carvajal allowed Mykhailo Mudryk time to measure his cross and from it Oleksandr Zubkov volleyed acrobatically past Andriy Lunin, leaving Anceloi fuming on the touchline. Madrid have not kept a clean sheet all season in La Liga but this was the first they had conceded in Europe since last season’s Champions League semi-final.

He second half was more of the same. Having let their opponents off it was a struggle at the restart to get the third goal. Vincius shanked one wide, after Trubin saved well at his near post from Rodrygo. He had over come his early wobble and was now resisting everything Madrid threw at him.

With another sweeping team move Madrid marauded into the Shakhtar penalty are but one touch too many from Valverde allowed the impressive Mudryk to nick it from him and carry the ball clear.

With 10 minutes left 28 times Madrid had taken aim at Trubin’s goal and it was still the narrowest of margins. Much of Madrid’s intricate link play in around his six-yard box was mesmerizing with Vinicius, Rodrygo, Benzema and Valverde operating on a different frequency to their rivals but there was no third goal.

Asensio was on by now but his aim was even more off. He blazed high and wide after set-up by Benzema.

Madrid’s number nine did hit the target with a minute left but Trubin turned the shot smartly round his post for a corner. There were only two minutes added on and by now Shakhtar’s chances of snatching a point had evaporated. The last chance was always going to be another Madrid miss – this time it was Asensio who hit the post from Benzema’s cross.

The Shakhtar players thanked their supporters at the end; the many Ukrainians living in Madrid backing the team had seen them run the European Champions close even though with 14 shots on target for the home side – no one could quite believe it.

Source: Read Full Article