UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid thrash Shakhtar Donetsk 5-0 to move to the top of Group D, level with Sheriff on points – Vinícius Júnior scored twice, including a wondrous solo goal, to lead Real Madrid to a 5-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk and put its Champions League campaign back on track on Tuesday.
This was Carlo Ancelotti’s team at its potent best after an embarrassing defeat in the previous European match by newcomer Sheriff between a draw and loss in the Spanish league.
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Madrid’s lead was bolstered in the 37th minute when Shakhtar captain Sergiy Kryvtsov turned a cross by Lucas Vazquez into his own net.
👔@MrAncelotti: “We defended well, We were focused on the match from the start. We applied our strategy of not pressing too much up front. We waited because they are dangerous on the counter. It’s a match that will give us confidence, but the Clásico will be a different match.” pic.twitter.com/4AWXRX40PH
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 19, 2021
Vinícius lit up the start of the second half by clipping the ball over goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin in the 51st after Luka Modric slipped a pass through having been teed up by Karim Benzema.
UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid thrash Shakhtar Donetsk 5-0 to move to the top of Group D, level with Sheriff on points
Vinícius was on target again five minutes later, cutting past Dodô and then Kryvtsov in the penalty area before striking into the net.
Vinícius then set up fellow Brazilian Rodrygo to strike into the net in the 64th. Benzema completed the rout in stoppage time after getting on the end of Marco Asensio’s cross.
Madrid, the 13-time European champion, moved up to second place in Group D on six points. Sheriff remains in the lead, based on the head-to-head with Madrid, despite losing 3-1 at Inter Milan.
UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid thrash Shakhtar Donetsk 5-0 to move to the top of Group D, level with Sheriff on points
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