Shakhtar claw back Lille advantage

FC Shakhtar Donetsk staged a remarkable late recovery at LOSC Lille Métropole, scoring twice in the closing minutes to reduce arrears to 3-2 after the French side had threatened to run away with this Round of 32 tie.

Finely poised
First-half goals from Nicolas Fauvergue and Geoffrey Dernis and a 77th-minute third from Peter Odemwingie had seemingly put former UEFA Champions League challengers Lille into an unassailable position when Brandão gave Shakhtar a glimmer of hope by scoring in the 89th minute. There was still time for Shakhtar's belief to be further fuelled as Ciprian Marica scored his side's second in added time, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of next week's return in Ukraine.

Chalmé prediction
Defender Mathieu Chalmé had said beforehand that Lille "have enough skill to win the UEFA Cup final in May", and for much of tonight's first leg at the Stade Villeneuve d'Ascq they proved that there was plenty of substance to that statement. Although Shakhtar had made a bright start, Lille scored from their first real opening in the 19th minute as Fauvergue fired in a shot which Mathieu Bodmer claimed to have deflected in.

Goalkeeper off
Darijo Srna had the best chance of the remainder of the half for Shakhtar, whose hopes grew when home goalkeeper Grégory Malicki went off injured in the 50th minute. Seven minutes later it was 2-0, however, as Dernis raced on to Bodmer's pass and lobbed Shakhtar's debutant goalkeeper Bohdan Shust. Substitute custodian Laurent Pichon then repelled efforts from Fernandinho and Brandão before Odemwingie converted a cross from the right.

Puel regrets
As the home fans began celebrating a solid victory, things grew distinctly uncomfortable as Brandão struck in the 89th minute and Romanian Marica in added time, leaving "a very tough game in prospect in Donetsk" according to Lille coach Claude Puel.