Jadson treble seals Shakhtar consolation

FC Shakhtar Donetsk will compete in the UEFA Cup next year having clinched third place in UEFA Champions League Group C with a comfortable defeat of FC Basel 1893.

Jadson hat-trick
Jadson was the Ukrainian side's hero with a hat-trick, breaking the deadlock in the 32nd minute. Willian's superb solo effort made it 2-0 early in the second half and Jadson scored twice in quick succession to kill of any lingering Basel hopes, substitute Yevgen Seleznov adding a fifth to complete Shakhtar's record win in UEFA club competition win, equalling the biggest European reverse for an eliminated Basel side who lost by the same scoreline at home to FC Barcelona on Matchday 3.

Reshuffle
Home coach Mircea Lucescu had rung the changes in the absence of centre-back Dmytro Chygrynskiy and right-winger Ilsinho through injury plus suspended striker Brandão, Luiz Adriano leading the line with support from Willian, Jadson and Fernandinho. That latter pair, on target when Shakhtar won 2-1 at Basel on Matchday 1, nearly combined to open the scoring in the first five minutes tonight. However, after Jadson swept the ball wide, Fernandinho's effort was tipped over by Franco Costanzo.

Costanzo save
Basel were finding it tough to get to grip with the pitch after heavy rain this afternoon in Donetsk, young Eren Derdiyok seeing little of the ball up front in the early stages. Costanzo had to be alert, though, dealing well with a stinging Darijo Srna free-kick. Willian then shot wide but two minutes past the half-hour, when it seemed Basel had weathered the storm, Shakhtar struck. Tomáš Hübschman send in a fine ball from the left which Olexiy Gai turned back for Jadson to sweep in from outside the box. Shakhtar remained on top, although goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov was tested in first-half added time by a long Eduardo effort.

Willian stars
The second half began in breathless fashion, both teams having a shot blocked on the line; Valentin Stocker for Basel and Fernandinho at the other end. Five minutes past the interval, Willian doubled the Shakhtar lead, cutting in from the left-hand touchline and jinking past several defenders before curling the ball inside the far post past Costanzo's despairing dive.

Treble complete
Christian Gross's visitors pushed forward and worried the Shakhtar defence but soon found themselves three down. A flowing counterattack was brought to fruition when William set free Srna on the left and his low cross was tapped in at the far post by Jadson. The 25-year-old Brazilian completed his hat-trick seven minutes later, playing the ball out left for Willian, whose cross allowed Jadson to produce another emphatic finish.

Record
Now it was time for a Ukrainian national to get in on the act and Seleznov did just that with a left-footed finish from just inside the box. So while Shakhtar will enter the UEFA Cup Round of 32 draw on 19 December, Basel's European season will end ten days previously at home to Sporting Clube de Portugal.