Now one feels very sorry for "Shakhtar" president Rinat Akhmetov, and even more sorry for his millions spent on Brazilians, Paraguayans, and Romanians. The level of play that everyone expected from them, they never showed. Akhmetov would have been better off building several modern stadiums in Ukraine with that money and advising Lucescu to trust Ukrainian young players more.
It is unknown how Lucescu planned to come back and play for victory in the return match, when most of "Shakhtar" players did not know what to do with the ball when it ended up with them and mostly played backward, when Hyubshman, who made so many mistakes in this game that they would be enough for three lost matches, walks and smiles on the field as if his team is winning by a margin of several goals... There was no motivation for this game whatsoever. Moreover, when in the 83rd minute Akhmetov's face was shown, it seemed that he was several times more worried about the result than the players, and unlike the footballers, the "Shakhtar" president even seven minutes before the end of regular time hoped that his team could score three goals, while the players stopped believing in it right after the first conceded goal...
Only now do you begin to understand how much Tymoshchuk was missed on the field, who fought to the end on the football field in any game and at any score. The only player to whom there are almost no complaints is goalkeeper Jan Lashtuvka. Moreover, the "Shakhtar" players should chip in money and take their teammate to a restaurant, or buy him a duplicate of the UEFA Cup so he doesn't get upset. Only Lashtuvka's successful play at the last line saved "Shakhtar" from a rout after which the 1:5 defeat by Vienna's "Austria" from several years ago would have seemed like a pleasant memory for the miners.
Another moment worth mentioning is "Shakhtar's" play in attack. Neither Agahowa nor Bielik could even approximately create danger near the hosts' goal. Nor could Vorobey, who came on as a substitute. The only one who tried and had some success was Denys Kulakov, but, unfortunately, he is not a forward.
The development of events on the field is not particularly worth recalling. Already in the ninth minute "Shakhtar" found itself in the role of a losing team. Van Gallen, after a wonderful combination, sent the ball into the far corner of the goal with a shot from the corner of the penalty area, seeing that Lashtuvka had come out slightly further from his domain. This was Lashtuvka's only mistake in this game. By the way, when the Dutchman was shooting at "Shakhtar's" goal, the miners' defender Hyubshman turned his back to him, as they say, instead of trying to block that shot.
Throughout the entire first half, "Shakhtar" created absolutely nothing near "AZ's" goal. There was a lot of play near the penalty area, mistakes in passing, but no shots on goal. In turn, the Dutch team could have settled all questions regarding the winner on aggregate in the first half of the game. In the 30th minute, Meerdink went one-on-one with Lashtuvka, but the "Shakhtar" goalkeeper saves his team by deflecting the shot... with his face. In the final five minutes of the first half, Perez could have scored twice. First, the "AZ" midfielder's shot went just wide of the post, and in the first added minute, his shot from a free kick was tipped over the crossbar by Lashtuvka with a leap, pulling the ball out from under the crossbar.
"Shakhtar" started the second half more lively, but this activity from the miners turned out to be short-lived for some reason. In the 47th minute, the head referee could well have awarded a penalty to "AZ's" goal after Elano was elegantly fouled there, but instead the referee showed the Donetsk Brazilian a yellow card for simulation...
For some reason, after this moment "Shakhtar" quieted down again, and "AZ" went forward. In the 62nd minute, after Van Gallen's shot from about nine meters, only Lashtuvka's wonderful reaction saves "Shakhtar" from a second goal, though not for long. Three minutes later, another breakdown in defense by Lewandowski and company allows Meerdink to double the score with a shot into the lower corner. After this goal, even the match commentator resigned himself to the fact that "Shakhtar" had sung its song in European competitions.
However, two minutes after Matuzalem's cross from the right flank, Elano pulled one goal back with a header, which did not cause particular joy in the "Shakhtar" camp. Moreover, the miners' players were slowly walking to the center of the field, and time was ticking...
In the minutes remaining until the end of the duel, one can note only one attack by the Donetsk team after Vorobey dared to make a cross, and the same Elano lacked a few centimeters to connect with the pass.
Towards the end, "AZ" launched a real assault on "Shakhtar's" goal, but the spectators did not see any more goals in this game.
Now one can recall "Shakhtar's" victories over "Celtic" and "Schalke," and yet a club that wants to announce itself in Europe cannot lose so spinelessly and shamefully...
"Alkmaar" - "Shakhtar" - 2:1 Goals: van Gallen 9, Meerdink 65, Elano 67 "Alkmaar": Timmer, Kromkamp, Mathijsen, Opdam, de Cler, Landzaat, Lindenberg, van Galen (Sektioui 76), Perez (Ramzi 85), Nelisse (Huysegems 76), Meerdink
"Shakhtar": Lashtuvka, Matuzalem, Agahowa, Lewandowski, Rat, Srna (Kulakov 61), Hyubshman, Berkeuan, Duljaj (Jadson 59), Bielik (Vorobey 72), Elano.
First match 3:1.