Shakhtar Donetsk claim Europa League spot despite fifth loss in six games

08 December 2015 22:31

Shakhtar Donetsk held on to a Europa League place despite suffering a fifth defeat in six games in Champions League Group A.

Malmo's crushing 8-0 defeat at Real Madrid ensured that Shakhtar would remain alive in Europe, albeit in the second-tier competition, despite their 2-0 loss to Paris St Germain.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up Lucas Moura for the opener just before the hour-mark before scoring a goal of his own in the closing stages.

PSG started the game knowing they could only finish second and coach Laurent Blanc took the opportunity to rest players and make five changes.

Skipper Thaigo Silva was expectedly left out along with key men Marco Veratti, Thaigo Motta, Edinson Cavani and Angel di Maria.

Ibrahimovic was retained, following his double in the 3-0 win over Nice on Friday night, and it was the Sweden international's good work that set-up the opener.

The striker held off his marker and fed the ball to an advancing Lucas who took a couple of touches on the edge of the area before picking his spot.

Ibrahimovic added a second when he read a header on from Lucas and outpaced the defence before coolly sliding past exposed goalkeeper Anton Kanibolotskiy.

Lucas was one of the five players brought into the starting XI by Blanc and was busy from the start as he tested Kanibolotskiy from range.

Ibrahimovic lobbed a right-footed shot over the crossbar from 12 yards although Shakhtar had the best chance of the opening exchanges when Eduardo Da Silva shot at Kevin Trapp from close range.

Trapp then held on from a Yaroslav Rakitskiy 25-yarder, but Shakhtar's need for a result reduced significantly as Malmo started to leak goals at the Bernabeu.

Kerim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo were both on the way to hat-tricks in Spain by the time Shakhtar reached half-time at 0-0 in Paris.

Alex Teixeira shot over from 12 yards shortly after the break but PSG would take the lead in the 57th minute as Ibrahimovic and Lucas combined to finish a flowing counter-attack.

PSG almost doubled their lead a minute later when Kanibolotskiy tipped a long-range Blaise Matuidi drive past the post.

Ibrahimovic shot wide when well placed before he showed characteristic calm four minutes from time to finish the game.

Lucas jumped highest to help on a long punt forward and Ibrahimovic beat his marker to the ball before he sped away from him, slowing only to fool the goalkeeper with a rolled finish at his near post.

Source: PA