The team of Sabău succeeded an excellent result and was close to a historic victory, but second leg is announced to be very difficult, Shakhtar being able to obtain qualification even at Timisoara. At Donetsk, FC Timisoara had a good game of defense and managed to fructify two consistent actions of attack through Bucur. Shakhtar, with Mircea Lucescu in official tribune in the day when he reached to 64, and with second coach Alexandru Spiridon on the bench, started the match offensive and created pressure at the post of Pantilimon even from first minutes. Young goalkeeper of Timișoara didn't have too much to work, in spite of that. Timisoara managed to open the score on counter attack, in 20th minute, when Parks won the ball and, despite he was fouled, passed excellent to Bucur, who shot the ball beside the goalkeeper: 0-1. Ukrainians threw into attack and the opportunities at the post of the team trained by Ovidiu Ioan Sabau started to appear. Luiz Adriano was blocked in the last moment by Eder Bonfim (25), then Ilsinho missed to level the score from the small box (26) . The biggest opportunity of the hosts belonged to Srna, his shot from free kick being rejected by Pantilimon (37). Willian (45) had a good opportunity too, but his shot passed over the post. Shakhtar started to play more offensive in second half and had a good opportunity in 48th minute, through Jadson, but Brazilian' shot was saved by Pantilimon. Shakhtar continued to press and Willian shot, Romanian goalkeeper managing to catch the ball with emotions (50). Lucescu's team managed to level the score in 61st minute, when Gladki headed from the box, even Eder Bonfim was next to him and should mark the player of Shakhtar: 1-1. Shakhtar was close to take the lead in 67th minute, when Jadson hit the bar from free kick, then Fernandinho headed beside the post (70). Jadson shot then from angle and Pantilimon dropped the ball into corner (72). One minute later, the goalkeeper of Timisoara saved his team again, when he rejected into corner the ball sent underneath the bar by Gladki. In full domination of the team from Donetsk , Timisoara had a new counter attack and scored again: Arman Karamian launched Bucur, he turned twice a defender of Shakhtar, in the box, and defeated Piatov with a shot from 10 meters: 1-2. Fernandinho managed to level the score in 86th minute, with a shot from the edge of the box, the defenders of Timisoara and the goalkeeper being hesitant in interventions: 2-2. The last opportunity of the match belonged to Hübschman (90 +3), but Pantilimon rejected over the post his shot from long distance.
Mircea Lucescu, coach of Shakhtar Donetsk: "We should score at least 7-8 goals. Timișoara showed good organization in defense, but this doesn't mean that as value they are superior to us. This is it, we couldn't win on my birthday. I don't think that Timisoara will be able to defend 90 minutes in second leg".
Ioan Ovidiu Sabău, coach of Timisoara: "This results gives us hope, courage, while for others it is a surprise. We should be happy, because we had problems in some moments. But we haven't accomplished our objective yet, we will have to obtain a good result in second leg too. My players must understand that will have to work more if they want to obtain qualification at Timisoara . It will be very difficult, because the players of Shakhtar will be very motivated".
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