Shakhtar Donetsk shocked Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu, taking home all three points from the Spanish capital. The Miners defeated the biggest soccer team in the world with 2-3, making a first-class sensation.
To make it even more spectacular, the Ukrainian powerhouse was without 10 first-team players who were all prevented from playing due to COVID-19 infection. Shakhtar scored all of its three goals in the first halftime, enduring severe pressure in the final part of the game, when Real pushed hard to reach an equalizer.
🚨 UPSET ALERT! 🚨
Shakhtar, without 10 first-team players, holds off Real Madrid to open Group B play with a win. pic.twitter.com/igItU3Rr8M
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 21, 2020
After the opening 10 minutes, nothing indicated that the guests might win. It was Real who dictated the tempo on the field, but Shakhtar broke free of the pressure after some 15 minutes.
After 29 minutes, the Ukrainians drew the first blood. Tete followed Konoplyanka’s surge and scored a goal that stunned the hosts. The same player was in the middle of attention during the action that preceded the second score. Tete’s shot was deflected by Raphael Varane, but unfortunately for the French international, the ball ended behind Thibaut Courtois’ back.
Tete was fired up tonight, and his creativity was displayed in the 42nd minute once he assisted Solomon, who extended Real’s deficit to 0-3.
Still, the 13-time European champions didn’t back out, but went full speed at the start of the second half. That resulted in two quick goals, when Luka Modric and Vinicius decreased the gap to 2-3. Modric scored from a distance in the 54th, and five minutes later, Vinicius posted his name on the scoresheet just 15 seconds after he replaced Luka Jovic.
Vinícius Júnior scored 15 SECONDS after entering as a sub for Real Madrid in the 59th minute- the fastest UCL goal scored by a substitute since Opta began tracking full data for Champions League goal times in 2006-07.
Real Madrid currently trails Shakhtar Donetsk 3-2. pic.twitter.com/XAGCnFJ8H3
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 21, 2020
Real continued to play at the same pace, but Shakhtar responded, and they managed to keep the lead and post a historic victory. Los Blancos would score a goal in the stoppage time, which was canceled due to Vinicius’s offside.
This defeat came in the worst possible moment for the Madridians, who will meet Barcelona in El Clasico this weekend. Both sides lost in the previous round, Real at home to Cadiz, and Barca on the road against Getafe. However, Blaugrana responded last night, beating the Hungarian champions, Ferencvaros at home with 5-1.
In the other Champions League game that was played at the same time, Red Bull Salzburg and Lokomotiva Moscow played without winners, 2-2. Both sides were ahead at some point, but in the end, they spit a point each.
