Barcelona, Spain – In a thrilling encounter at the Camp Nou, Barcelona managed to secure their third consecutive win in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, further solidifying their dominance in Group H. The Catalans extended their unbeaten streak this season to 13 matches, with 10 wins and 3 draws.
After their remarkable comeback from a two-goal deficit to defeat Royal Antwerp on matchday two, Shakhtar Donetsk arrived in Catalonia with the daunting task of taking on an in-form Barcelona side that boasted a perfect record in the group. The home team began the match in a dominant fashion, with Fermín López seeing an early attempt thwarted by the quick reflexes of Shakhtar’s goalkeeper, Dmytro Riznyk.
Barcelona continued to press for a breakthrough as the first half progressed, and their persistence paid off when Ferran Torres capitalized on a rebound after López’s shot struck the upright. This goal gave Barcelona a well-deserved lead shortly before the half-hour mark. Eight minutes later, López added to the Catalans’ advantage, displaying his influence with a stunning long-range strike that found the top corner of the net.
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At halftime, Shakhtar found themselves facing a two-goal deficit for the second consecutive UCL match. However, they emerged from the break with renewed determination and managed to pull a goal back in the 62nd minute when Heorhiy Sudakov finished brilliantly from Irakli Azarovi’s inch-perfect pass. Buoyed by this goal, Shakhtar relentlessly pursued an equalizer in the final 25 minutes of the game. Despite a close call when López’s shot hit the base of the post, Barcelona held firm.
With the high-stakes El Clásico against arch-rivals Real Madrid looming on the horizon, Barcelona’s manager Xavi decided to keep his key players on the pitch as Shakhtar pushed forward in search of a late leveller.
Despite the pressure from the visitors and a few half-chances for Taras Stepanenko, Barcelona held on to secure a hard-earned three points. This victory extended their impressive home record against Ukrainian clubs to nine wins from 12 matches, with one draw and two losses. Meanwhile, Shakhtar Donetsk will be eager to bounce back in the return fixture on matchday four after suffering losses in two of their opening three group games.
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