Shakhtar plan no let-up against Partizan
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Article summary
After winning 4-1 at Club Brugge KV on Matchday 1, FC Shakhtar Donetsk should be full of confidence for the visit of an FK Partizan team beaten at home by Toulouse FC in their opening game in Group J.
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A 4-1 win in their opening game at Club Brugge KV has given FC Shakhtar Donetsk a flying start, and the UEFA Cup holders should feel confident when they welcome an FK Partizan side looking to put a 3-2 home defeat by Toulouse FC behind them.
Previous meetings
• This is Shakhtar's first meeting with a Serbian club, but Partizan have played four games against Ukrainian opponents, their record reading W1 D1 L2. That solitary victory came on their most recent visit to Ukraine, a 1-0 win at FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup round of 32 (24/02/05).
Match background
• Shakhtar reached the round of 32 on their only UEFA Cup group stage appearance in 2005/06. They won the competition last season after transfering from the UEFA Champions League.
• Partizan played in three UEFA Cup group stage campaigns, reaching the last 16 in 2004/05 but failing to advance in 2006/07 and 2008/09.
• Partizan recorded their biggest home victory in UEFA competition this season, beating Rhyl FC 8-0 in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round.
• Shakhtar have won their last five UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League games, and have not lost in nine fixtures since a 1-0 round of 16 defeat at PFC CSKA Moskva last season.
• Partizan never won a UEFA Cup group stage away game, drawing their first at S.S. Lazio in 2004/05 and then losing the next five without scoring a goal.
Team facts
• Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu took on Partizan during his time as coach of FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti, with his side winning 2-1 in Bucharest and 2-0 in Titograd – now Podgorica – in the 1989/90 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals.
• Just before the start of the group stage, Partizan dismissed former Yugoslavia midfielder Slaviša Jokanović as their coach, with the former CD Tenerife, RC Deportivo La Coruña and Chelsea CF player being temporarily replaced by his assistant Goran Stevanović.
• Shakhtar's Igor Duljaj won three Serbian titles (1999, 2002 and 2003) and the 2001 domestic cup with Partizan before leaving to join the Ukrainian side in 2004.
• Partizan defender Goran Gavrančić played in Ukraine with Shakhtar's arch-rivals FC Dynamo Kyiv (2001-08).
• Shakhtar face a visit from Toulouse on Matchday 3, Partizan will travel to Club Brugge on the same night, 22 October.