Shakhtar Donetsk 2 Totenham 0:HARRY REDKNAPP might bridle at the notion he gambled with Tottenham Hotspur's Uefa Cup hopes here in the Ukraine. The manager would argue he had no choice but to field a severely weakened team, in the face of a fixture pile-up. Whatever he did, it so nearly came up trumps yet at the death there was little more than disappointment for his brave team.

Hope had remained when the Shakhtar substitute Yevgen Seleznyov bounded on towards the end but seconds later, he had nodded Jadson’s free-kick beyond Heurelho Gomes, who had come and missed horribly, and not for the first time. Tottenham created little and Jadson applied the coup de grace for Shakhtar after a neat one-two. Tottenham have it all to do in next Thursday’s return leg.

Were Tottenham higher up the Premier League table, Redknapp’s starting line-up would have been radically different but the spectre of relegation has given a startling clarity to his priorities. The trip to Hull and back on Monday is at the forefront of his thoughts.

It was the condition of the pitch, though, that represented the biggest challenge for Tottenham’s acclimatisation. It was marked, bizarrely, with yellow lines that ran parallel to the halfway line and their undulations revealed an uneven surface, which also cut up as the tie wore on. Despite their not having played a competitive fixture in more than two months, because of the winter break, Shakhtar settled the quicker and there was menace in their quartet of starting Brazilians, in particular Willian on the left flank.

Jadson found space inside the penalty area but was off target, after Ilsinho’s pass had deflected and Razvan Rat volleyed over when well placed. Much of Shakhtar’s danger came from the raiding Croatia right-back Dario Srna and his low driven crosses sparked confusion on occasions.

Pascal Chimbonda missed one attempted clearance and only a bobble foxed the onrushing Oleksandr Gladkyy. Tottenham’s defending was coloured by desperation and elements of good fortune, although Tom Huddlestone, deployed as an emergency centre half, emerged with credit. When the half-time whistle sounded, the visitors had created nothing in the final third. Shakhtar, meanwhile, could also point to efforts by Willian, which Gomes held, and Fernandinho, that whistled wide.

Redknapp, who had five youth team players on the bench, saw his team play with more authority in the second half. It was an evening for digging in and showing character – Michael Dawson, as ever, showed that in abundance – but also for not hiding from possession.

Tottenham had spells on the ball after the interval, and they drew whistles from the home crowd. Shakhtar had further flickers in front of goal. A neat move involving Jadson and Ilsinho fashioned space for Willian but his shot was blocked while Fernandinho glanced over from a corner.

Tottenham’s response was a quick counter with Giovani sending Jermaine Jenas, the stand-in captain, galloping through. Andriy Pyatov, the goalkeeper, rashly left his line and Jenas almost managed to flick the ball past him before the danger passed for Shakhtar.

Shakhtar had to wait for their opening goal but there were frenzied scenes in the stands when it arrived. Gomes, his Achilles’ heel on set-pieces, again exposed, was disconsolate and Jadson’s second goal represented a hammer blow.

SHAKHTAR DONETSK: Pyatov, Srna, Chigrinsky, Ischenko, Rat, Fernandinho, Ilsinho (Luiz Adriano 68), Jadson, Lewandowski, Willian, Gladkyy (Seleznyov 78). Subs Not Used: Khudzamov, Fedetskiy, Shevchuk, Duljaj, Chyzhov. Booked: Rat.

TOTTENHAM: Gomes, Gunter, Huddlestone, Dawson, Chimbonda, Jenas, Zokora, Parrett (Bostock 89), Bentley, Giovani (Bent 69), Campbell. Subs Not Used: Jansson, Gilberto, Smith, Mason, Obika.

Referee: Thomas Einwaller (Austria).