Having won in the fourth round of the group tournament of the UEFA Cup against French "Rennes", Donetsk "Shakhtar" secured one of the places in the next round of the UEFA Cup. After four games, the miners have collected 9 points and can calmly switch to matches of the Ukrainian championship.

And although for "Rennes" the meeting with "Shakhtar" was supposed to become the last saving straw to cling to European cups, the French showed nothing special. In the first half, the Ukrainian champions mostly held the initiative in play, and as a result there were more goal-scoring chances near the hosts' goal. Already in the sixth minute, Elano clawed the ball away from a defender, closed in on the goalkeeper and was going around him, but the slippery field and the hand of the goal keeper helped him fall, and the ball, which was already rolling into the empty goal, was cleared by a defender. The referee did not notice Elano's fall with the slight help of the goalkeeper and did not award a penalty.

In the 13th minute, again the guests' activity ended with danger near "Rennes"' goal. From about 20 meters Fernandinho shot hard, but slightly over the crossbar.

The French mostly played near "Shakhtar"'s penalty area and rarely troubled Shutkov, who replaced Lashtuvka in goal. Elano nearly scored again in the 28th minute, as he was the most active among the Donetsk players. From a free kick from about 19 meters the Brazilian curled the ball into the far corner, but the goalkeeper pulled the ball out.

Then came Agahowa's 5-minute spell. In the 34th minute the Nigerian nearly connected with Elano's cross and the goalkeeper was first to the ball. Three minutes later Agahowa burst into "Rennes"' penalty area and was fouled by Fati. The referee ran up, showed a yellow card to the Frenchman and pointed to the 11-meter mark. From the spot Elano shot accurately and coolly, putting his team ahead. That ended the first half.

The second half of the game was completely different from the first. "Rennes" after the break began to play actively, sharply and with sporting insolence. "Shakhtar" began to play to hold the score and several times nearly paid for it.

First, Dido tested Shutkov with a shot from about 30 meters and the "Shakhtar" goalkeeper in a jump turned the ball away for a corner. The most dangerous moment near Lucescu's team's goal came 10 minutes later. After a mistake in the center by Tymoshchuk and Dulyai, Utaka ran down the flank and with a pass set up Gourguff one-on-one with Shutkov, who from a few meters failed to hit the goal, shooting into the "milk".

"Rennes" continued to hold the initiative, attacked more, pressed, but for "Shakhtar" these few moments became a "cold shower" and thereafter the "orange-and-blacks" practically no longer made such mistakes in defense.

In the last 15 minutes of the game "Shakhtar" held out and even several times could have scored through Brandao, who came on as a substitute, but in one moment he shot over the goal, and in another he got "tangled" in the hands of the French team's goalkeeper. Marica also shot dangerously in the 87th minute, but the goalkeeper parried it for a corner.

"Rennes" (France) - "SHAKHTAR" (UKRAINE) - 0:1 Goal: Elano 38 - from a penalty "SHAKHTAR": 12.Shutkov, 33.Srna, 18.Lewandowski, 3.Hubschman, 26.Rats, 4.Tymoshchuk(c), 9.Matuzalem, 6.Dulyai, 7.Fernandinho (Fomin 88), 36.Elano (Brandao 70), 17.Agahowa (Marica 79). "RENNES": 30.Pouplin, 17. Mbia, 3.Ouaddou, 5.Fati (Adailton 46), 9.Edman, 22.Dido, 10.Gourguff, 8.Kallstrom, 18.Monterrubio, 7.Utaka (Brian 67), 23.Frei.

TOURNAMENT STANDINGS: 1. Rapid – 9 (3 games). 2. SHAKHTAR – 9 (4). 3. Stuttgart – 6 (3). 4. PAOK - 0 (3). 4. Rennes – 0 (3).