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Champions League. Group B. Sixth round
Milan. “Giuseppe Meazza”
Inter – Shakhtar 0: 0
“Bury“: Handanovic, Skrinjar, De Fry, Bastoni (D’Ambrosio 86), Hakimi (Darmian 85), Brozovic, Gallardini (A. Sanchez 76), Barella, Young (Perisic 69), Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez (Eriksen 85)
“Miner“: Trubin, Dodo, Vitao (Khocholava 36), Bondar, Matvienko, Stepanenko, Kovalenko, Maicon, Marlos (Alan Patrick 64), Tete (Solomon 64), Tyson (Dentinho 86)
Warnings: Galyardini 29, Hakimi 39, Brozovich 62 – Vitao 29, Trubin 90 + 6
Chief referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)
Most likely, Shakhtar goalkeeper Anatoly Trubin was astute, denying nervousness before the match. In fact, Donetsk and Inter were full of emotions: nerves, anger, passion, motivation. Both were heavily weighted by two consecutive absences from the Champions League group on the final matchday because of them. PSV, second lineup of Barcelona, Lyon, Atalanta, hung up. There was a 0:10 charge from Gladbach, flights of “Real” with threats of beatings from the “ultras” of the Milanese. At “Inter” there was a requirement to cast the four Italians in the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. So what was at stake here was the development of the clubs.
Before the game, Luis Castro said that his team will play differently than in August or October. But no one could have guessed how much. Shakhtar switched to an asymmetric tactical scheme, more similar to 3-5-2. With Taras Stepanenko at the center of defense, Cooper and Vitao at his side. Marlos, who appeared on the right flank, and in midfield, and closer to attack, often made it 3-4-3. And one of the defenders, Maicon, helped the left against Hakimi and Barella, who loves to move there. Furthermore, the Donetsk team did not play the ball in defense all the time, and when the pressure increased, they threw it forward.
This tactic helped to hold the first 17 minutes of the game quite clearly, in which Inter scored four goals in the last 11 games. Only once did Barella make his way to the right and found Lautaro in the area, who shook the crossbar. Also, during one of the corners, I had to desperately block the blows. The first 22 minutes ended with a score of 2: 1 in shots on goal. And then the owners changed tactics. It seems they have withdrawn, reduced the pressure. But, taking advantage of Stepanenko’s absence in midfield, they began to steadily increase ball possession. And actively throw Lukaku, who threw himself further.
In principle, Shakhtar coped with that game. He sacrificed the semi-circle area in front of the penalty area, from where Lautaro, Shkrinjar, Bastogne, Young started shooting at the gate. Not quite. And Lukaku was supported by two, which allowed him to fall, but not turn around. Romelu had to move to the side for a pass to Lautaro. The one who pierced his head is not strong. The problem is that the attack was also sacrificed. In the first half, the total assists in the last third of the field was 90:33, and I don’t know where the 33 guests found them. The only thing that should be noted is Dodo’s free kick from 18 meters (Handanovich) .
At first nothing changed in the second half. Unless Lukaku finally found the door. Finishing off a free kick. Trubin saved. Then Brozovich’s kick after Anatoly wasn’t the best exit out of the gate managed to block Khocholava. Then the Shakhtar released a bit of the pressure. However, at last Tete ruined a dangerous “four on three” counterattack with a hasty strike from a distance. He hit the target, but Handanovich went ahead and Maicon finished off vaguely. But there it was possible to withdraw one by one. Tyson completed another counterattack with a weak blow. Also, the game has become more open for Inter.
Only in the last quarter of the game was the traffic jam resolved, and at least from afar we began to see the teams playing to win. Both already passed the midfield faster, they made their way more efficiently down the flanks, “Inter” made substitutions in attack: Perisic much more attacking instead of Young, striker Alexis Sánchez instead of defensive player Gagliardini , often the right back D’Ambrosio instead of the always central Bastogne. “Miner” released his “joker” Manor Solomon. But the quality of the shots was clearly not enough. Sánchez missed a bit with a header. And Eriksen also shot down the middle, and Trubin stopped.
Shakhtar qualify for the Death Group Europa League. He did not concede to “Inter”, he defeated “Real”. It definitely did not fail. At the same time, already in the third consecutive season, leaving the group slipped through our fingers. He got too carried away blocking the rival and, even from minute 32, knowing the result in Madrid, he could not come back. Yellow card for Trubin’s delay, Kashtru’s instructions to the clock are signs of an insufficiently ambitious team. And what about Inter? It failed deafening. In Italy, they feared that Real and Borussia would draw. They must be afraid of something completely different.
