UEFA Champions League
Group F, Matchday 2
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Municipal Stadium, Warsaw

SHAKHTAR DONETSK… 1
(Mudryk 29)

CELTIC… 1
(Bondarenko og 10)

Celtic gained their first point of their UEFA Champions League group-stage campaign with a 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk, but they deserved more after dominating much of the match.

Ange Postecoglou’s side took the lead on 10 minutes after Reo Hatate’s attempt on goal was touched in by Shakhtar’s Artem Bondarenko, but the Ukrainians equalised just before the half-hour mark through Mykhaylo Mudryk.

Despite heavy pressure from the Celts in the second-half, and late chances for Giorgos Giakoumakis and Daizen Maeda, the points were ultimately shared in the end.

Celtic almost got off to the perfect start with just two minutes on the clock, Matt O’Riley pinched the ball back from the Shakhtar defence and slipped Kyogo in behind, but Anatoliy Trubin was a match for his effort as he kept the Japanese striker’s low shot from 10 yards out with his feet.

The pressure was mounting in these opening stages, with a low cross from Greg Taylor almost finding a Celtic shirt as it flashed past Trubin, then O’Riley set a header on target all inside the opening five minutes.

As the clock hit the 10th minute, Celtic got the goal their play deserved. A defensive clearance from Josip Juranovic found Sead Haksabanovic free in space on the left, and with a burst of pace he drove at the Shakhtar defence before slipping Hatate in who had made a bursting run on the inside, and his delicate touch towards goal took a touch off Bondarenko and trickled past Trubin.

The chances continued to fall Celtic’s way and the Shakhtar keeper had to make another stop with his feet to keep out Moritz Jenz on 28 minutes as a free-kick fell to the German to the left of the six-yard box and he blasted a shot on goal which was stopped.

But within a minute of Jenz’s chance, Shakhtar were level. A ball down the left found Mudryk, who surged into the box before firing a shot into the roof of the net to make it 1-1.

The home side were looking dangerous at this stage and they had the ball in the back of the net again on 33 minutes through ex-Celt Marian Shved, but the ball had just gone behind for a goal-kick before the cross fell to him.

Shved was on the hunt for a goal and he forced Hart into a fine stop on 38 minutes as the Celtic goalkeeper got down low to his right to save the winger’s dipping shot from just outside the box.

Celtic take a point after dominant display against Shakhtar Donetsk