Shaktar Donetsk 2 Chelsea 1:JOHN TERRY'S return to the Chelsea team and captaincy had been steeped in contention, coming as it did while he serves a four-match domestic suspension for racial abuse of Anton Ferdinand. As this vital tie got away from him and the defending European champions, it seemed appropriate that a Shakhtar Donetsk player called Fernandinho should not only star but conjure up the decisive blow.
There had been bitter irony at the outset when Terry, had seen the ball rear up against his armband, which was embroidered with an anti-racism slogan, to drop for Alex Teixeira to score the opening goal. The captain played well but his team were second best and once Fernandinho had punished Eden Hazard to score the second, it seemed to be a question only of the victory margin.
They failed to take any of their subsequent chances and there was brief alarm when Oscar scored from close-range with two minutes to go. There was only one team, though, who merited victory and in truth the final score flattered Chelsea.
Shakhtar’s performance represented an exhilarating statement. There was, though, the significant consolation for Chelsea of Juventus only managing a draw in Denmark against Nordsjaelland.
It felt as though all eyes were on Terry, though. There were less than three minutes gone when the Chelsea captain tasted misfortune when his block tackle on Luiz Adriano saw the ball fall kindly for Teixeira, who kept his cool to place a low finish into the far corner.
The mood ignited. There was a swagger about some of the home team’s football, with their technique, comfort on the ball and threat most pronounced in the three-man line behind Adriano, where two more Brazilians, Teixeira and Willian, flanked the Armenian Henrik Mkhitaryan.
Willian checked on to his right foot and shot on more than one occasion as Shakhtar controlled the first half. They caught the eye with their slick interchanges and swift counters in what was an entertaining tie.
Roberto Di Matteo knew that his team’s focus had to be spot-on and he took no chances with his selection against opponents who have reduced the notion of competitiveness in their league to rubble.
He was forced into an 18th-minute change when Frank Lampard felt a muscle pull, however; the midfielder will not look back fondly upon a record 100th European appearance for the club.
Di Matteo, who saw Ashley Cole pick up a silly booking for a foul on the goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov, sent on Eden Hazard in an attacking change but Chelsea merely flickered in the first half. They worked Fernando Torres into some good areas but the striker, frustratingly, could not fashion shooting opportunities.
Shakhtar entered the interval with regrets, although none were related to the incision of their football. But for Petr Cech’s efforts, the tie might have been over.
He tipped over from Mkhitaryan’s drive following Willian’s lovely flick and after a Dario Srna corner had led to chaos, the goalkeeper thwarted Tomas Hubschman, brilliantly, at point-blank range. Chelsea could also be grateful to Terry for a couple of vital interventions.
Torres’s woes were epitomised early in the second half, when his touch and decision-making completely broke down. Chelsea fans squirmed and after Juan Mata shot wide from Hazard’s cross, there was worse to come.
Fernandinho was an all-action presence, snapping at Chelsea heels and helping to set Shakhtar’s tempo with his intelligent distribution. He started and finished the move for the second goal, crashing into Hazard to win the ball on halfway and driving forward on the break. The Belgian was crestfallen; Chelsea horribly exposed. Fernandinho swapped passes with Adriano, taking the return smoothly and hitting a low shot past Cech inside the far post.
Chelsea had their moments in the second half. Ramires hit a shot from distance; Hazard nearly exposed Olexandr Kucher; Mikel John Obi pivoted and lifted over and Hazard, having wriggled through for Chelsea’s best chance, was denied by Pyatov.
But it was Shakhtar, inspired by Willian, who played the better football and created the clearer opportunities. Fernandinho and Mkhitaryan spurned chances or were denied by Cech. Oscar’s goal could not reverse the tide for Chelsea.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK: Pyatov, Srna, Kucher, Rakitskiy, Rat, Hubschman, Fernandinho, Alex Teixeira (Ilsinho 82), Mkhitaryan, Willian (Douglas Costa 88), Luiz Adriano. Subs not used: Kanibolotskiy, Stepanenko, Eduardo, Gai, Kryvtsov. Booked: Kucher,Hubschman.
CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Luiz, Cole, Oscar, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard (Hazard 18), Mata, Torres (Sturridge 70). Subs not used: Turnbull, Romeu, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Bertrand. Booked: Cole, Luiz.
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).
