Paris push on with Shakhtar success
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
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Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Paris
Early strikes from UEFA Champions League debutant Serge Aurier and David Luiz were followed by Darijo Srna's 90th-minute own goal.
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- Paris make it two wins from two in Group A away to Shakhtar Donetsk
- Serge Aurier (7) and David Luiz (23) give Paris early two-goal cushion
- Darijo Srna's 90th-minute own goal completes visitors' victory
- Shakhtar still searching for first goal and point
- Next matches: Malmö v Shakhtar, Paris v Real Madrid (21 October)
Paris Saint-Germain made it two wins from two in UEFA Champions League Group A, goals in the first quarter of the match from Serge Aurier and David Luiz setting them on their way to three points away to Shakhtar Donetsk.
With two games against Real Madrid to come, Paris knew the value of a second successive victory and duly hit the front with seven minutes on the clock. The ball was worked out to left-back Maxwell and the Brazilian's deep cross was headed in at the far post by Aurier on his UEFA Champions League debut.
The visitors, however, remained hungry for more goals and provider nearly turned scorer as Edinson Cavani found Maxwell, but the defender was unable to apply the finishing touch. David Luiz had more fortune 60 seconds later, Ángel Di María's corner striking the centre-back and looping beyond Andriy Pyatov.
Di María might have made it three before the half-hour, having been left with just Pyatov to beat, but the goalkeeper was able to block his lifted effort. Instead Shakhtar almost revived their challenge shortly before half-time, Alex Teixeira being denied by Kevin Trapp, with Olexandr Gladkiy, Darijo Srna and Olexandr Kucher also having shots blocked in the goalmouth scramble that followed.
Taison slashed an effort wide early in the second period as Shakhtar continued to look for a way back into the contest, although Marco Verratti served notice of Paris's ongoing threat as his strike was deflected behind. Di María then scooped over when clean through before Pyatov saved from Zlatan Ibrahimović at close range.
Shakhtar, however, refused to let their heads drop and continued to probe, Alex Teixeira showing good feet but Trapp equal to his fierce drive. Mircea Lucescu's side had mustered more shots on goal than their rivals, but it was Laurent Blanc's team who got a clinching late third, Srna inadvertently turning in Ibrahimović's attempted pass.