Champions League
Shakhtar down Nordsjaelland
2012-11-21 08:19
Copenhagen - Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League after winning 5-2 at FC Nordsjaelland following a hat-trick by Luiz Adriano and two goals by Willian on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian club leads the group with 10 points, one more than Juventus and three in front of Chelsea. Shakhtar can't be overtaken by Chelsea because it has scored more head-to-head away goals.
Nordsjaelland took the lead in the 24th minute through Morten Nordstrand, but Shakhtar equalized two minutes later in a contentious moment that enraged the crowd.
Willian kicked downfield after an uncontested drop ball toward the opposing box because of an injury to a Nordsjaelland player.
The hosts' defenders walking slowly to the ball, only to watch in amazement as Adriano raced through to take possession, dribble around the puzzled goalkeeper and score into an unguarded net.
The goal was given despite vociferous protests by Nordsjaelland's players in front of a furious home crowd. An attempt for Nordsjaelland to walk the ball into Shakhtar's net to cancel out the goal from the restart was stopped by a visiting defender at the apparent urging of Adriano, further enraging the host team and crowd.
Those jeers turned to cheers when Nordsjaelland midfielder Kasper Lorentzen put his team ahead again in the 29th minute.
But the lead didn't last for long - Willian scored from a rebound in the 44th and added another in the 50th, while Adriano found the net in the 53rd and 81st to complete his hat trick.