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  • Shakhtar in strong position

    Shakhtar in strong position
    Tuesday 31 July 2007
    by Khachik Chakhoyan


    Goals either side of half-time from Oleksandr Gladkiy
    and Brandão enabled FC Shakhtar Donetsk to take a
    major step towards the UEFA Champions League third
    qualifying round.

    Solo run
    A constant thorn in FC Pyunik's side, new signing
    Gladkiy was worthy of his opening goal in Armenia and
    could have even broken the deadlock before his
    45th-minute strike. The 19-year-old forward eluded his
    markers by embarking on a mesmerising solo run before
    racing into the penalty area to force a reaction save
    out of goalkeeper Gevorg Kasparov. Although the
    rebound fell kindly for Jadson Rodriguez, the
    midfielder was unable to convert the chance.

    Opening goal
    Pyunik lost the excellent Kasparov when he was injured
    in an aerial challenge with Brandão three minutes
    before half-time and before the break his replacement
    Ignacio Javier Bordad Lopez was already picking the
    ball out of the net after Gladkiy pounced on a
    defensive error to score from close range. It was to
    prove a debut to forget for the Uruguayan, who was
    beaten again soon after the interval.

    Follow-up
    Perhaps sensing the nervousness of the substitute,
    Jadson caught Bordad Lopez off guard with a powerful
    shot from long distance which the goalkeeper could
    only parry into the path of Brandão, who made no
    mistake with the follow-up. Shakhtar, bidding to reach
    the group stage for the second year running and the
    third time in four years, welcome the Armenian
    champions to Ukraine next Wednesday for the return leg
    of this second qualifying round tie.
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