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Sept 19 2012
Mkhitaryan double spoils Danish side's debut
..
A double from Armenian midfielder Henrik Mkhitaryan gave Ukrainian
giants Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-0 win over Danish Champions League
debutants Nordsjaelland here on Wednesday in their opening Group E
match.
Mkhitaryan's double -- one in each half -- took his tally this season
to 11 goals in 14 games in league and Champions League.
"Tonight we did everything according to the plan which we worked out
before the match," Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu said.
"In the first halftime the play was almost even until Nordsjaelland
players ran out of gas. After that we took control and scored.
"In the second we sat comfortably on our lead and were seeking the
second goal, which we scored just a bit later.
"I'm really pleased with the performance of my defence which didn't
allow our visitors to create any serious chances throughout the
match."
Shakhtar's highly-rated Brazilian forward Willian -- who had been a
target for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer -- had made a couple of
bright runs early on for the hosts but sent one effort wide and the
other one had been goalbound before being deflected for a corner.
However, it was Nordsjaelland who had the first shot on target as
36-year-old veteran midfielder Nicolai Stokholm let fly with a great
effort which Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov was equal to.
The Danish side were more than holding their own and American central
defender Michael Parkhurst exemplified that by getting his head in the
way of a Razvan Rat volley which laid him out.
However, the hosts were beginning to turn the screw and Mkhitaryan and
then Rat both went close with efforts as the half came to a
conclusion.
Mkhitaryan then missed with a volley but, a minute from half time, he
finally put away a chance to add to his growing reputation as a
marksman.
The lively Mkhitaryan had a great chance to double his side's lead 13
minutes into the second half but Nordsjaelland goalkeeper Jesper
Hansen got down well to block his effort.
The classy Armenian, though, made no mistake 14 minutes from time when
he knocked the ball home after the ball came back to him following his
initial attempt to play in a teammate.
Hansen had been outstanding all night and, having denied Willian's
curling effort, he then came to his side's rescue late on with a
double save from Shakhtar's Croatian captain Darijo Srna and then the
Czech Tomas Hubschman.
..
http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/mkhitaryan-double-spoils-danish-sides-debut-204912441--sow.html
Sept 19 2012
Mkhitaryan double spoils Danish side's debut
..
A double from Armenian midfielder Henrik Mkhitaryan gave Ukrainian
giants Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-0 win over Danish Champions League
debutants Nordsjaelland here on Wednesday in their opening Group E
match.
Mkhitaryan's double -- one in each half -- took his tally this season
to 11 goals in 14 games in league and Champions League.
"Tonight we did everything according to the plan which we worked out
before the match," Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu said.
"In the first halftime the play was almost even until Nordsjaelland
players ran out of gas. After that we took control and scored.
"In the second we sat comfortably on our lead and were seeking the
second goal, which we scored just a bit later.
"I'm really pleased with the performance of my defence which didn't
allow our visitors to create any serious chances throughout the
match."
Shakhtar's highly-rated Brazilian forward Willian -- who had been a
target for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer -- had made a couple of
bright runs early on for the hosts but sent one effort wide and the
other one had been goalbound before being deflected for a corner.
However, it was Nordsjaelland who had the first shot on target as
36-year-old veteran midfielder Nicolai Stokholm let fly with a great
effort which Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov was equal to.
The Danish side were more than holding their own and American central
defender Michael Parkhurst exemplified that by getting his head in the
way of a Razvan Rat volley which laid him out.
However, the hosts were beginning to turn the screw and Mkhitaryan and
then Rat both went close with efforts as the half came to a
conclusion.
Mkhitaryan then missed with a volley but, a minute from half time, he
finally put away a chance to add to his growing reputation as a
marksman.
The lively Mkhitaryan had a great chance to double his side's lead 13
minutes into the second half but Nordsjaelland goalkeeper Jesper
Hansen got down well to block his effort.
The classy Armenian, though, made no mistake 14 minutes from time when
he knocked the ball home after the ball came back to him following his
initial attempt to play in a teammate.
Hansen had been outstanding all night and, having denied Willian's
curling effort, he then came to his side's rescue late on with a
double save from Shakhtar's Croatian captain Darijo Srna and then the
Czech Tomas Hubschman.
..
http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/mkhitaryan-double-spoils-danish-sides-debut-204912441--sow.html