German champions Borussia Dortmund travelled to Ukraine to take on Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League last-16 this evening and scored two away goals in a 2-2 draw.
Despite Dortmund dominating the opening 25 minutes, it was the hosts who took the lead as Darijo Srna fired in a superb free kick.
Dortmund got level before the break through Robert Lewandowski and in the second half Mats Hummels headed in a corner in the last five minutes to cancel out Douglas Costa's fine individual effort.
Here, Sports Mole analyses whether the result was justified.
Match statistics:
Shakhtar:
Shots 8
On target 5
Possession 49%
Corners 4
Fouls 8
Dortmund:
Shots 15
On target 10
Possession 51%
Corners 6
Fouls 16
Was the result fair?
Just about, although a Dortmund win would have been fair as well. If not for Hummels's late header, Shakhtar might have stolen the win, but the equaliser was no more than the Germans deserved. Andriy Pyatov was the far busier goalkeeper and Dortmund bossed proceedings for long spells.
Shakhtar's performance
They have been far better in the past. Perhaps the loss of Willian affected them, but they were not the usual slickly-oiled passing machine they so frequently are. In attack they tended to run out of ideas and it took two pieces of genius to get their goals: a Srna free kick and a fine effort from Costa.
Dortmund's performance
They were on top for a lot of the game and now must go down as firm favourites for the second leg. Despite a defensive lapse for Shakhtar's second, they were better in most areas of the pitch. In the second half they were not as good as in the first, but they still managed to up the tempo and get the equaliser they deserved.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Jakub Blaszczykowski: The winger somehow had no goals to his name when he was subbed off, but could have had a hat-trick. He was a constant threat down the Dortmund right and even tracked back well. As such, Yaroslav Rakitskiy had no joy in attack for the hosts at wing-back.
Biggest gaffe
There was not a lot done wrong in the game, in truth. However this has to go to the Shakhtar team for their marking from Hummel's headed equaliser. He was given the freedom of the six-yard box to power in the equaliser, which has given his side the upper hand in the tie.
Referee performance
Howard Webb did well enough. There were a couple of occasions for which he was conned by the Shakhtar players going to ground all too easily, and he missed the odd clear foul, but all the major decisions went the right way. He showed just the one fellow card and kept it flowing as much as possible.
What next?
Shakhtar: Shakhtar are still a little over two weeks away from a return to league action and host Volyn at home on March 1, four days before the return Champions League leg.
Dortmund: The Germans are back at home on Saturday to face Eintracht Frankfurt as they look to hold off Bayer Leverkusen having finally got ahead of them in the Bundesliga.
Matt Domm
