Shakhtar team depleted by coronavirus stuns Real Madrid 3-2

A Shakhtar Donetsk team depleted by coronavirus cases handed Real Madrid a 3-2 home loss in Group B of the Champions League on Wednesday.

Playing with only a few regular starters, Shakhtar took advantage of counterattacks to open up a 3-0 first-half lead, and then held on after Madrid pulled closer with two goals shortly after the break in an empty Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium.

Madrid thought it had equalized in injury time through Federico Valverde, but the goal was disallowed for offside after video review.

The Ukrainian side opened the scoring through Tetê in the 29th minute and added to the lead with an own-goal by Madrid defender Raphael Varane in the 33rd. Manor Solomon then added the third in the 42nd.

Madrid fought back with a long-range shot by Luka Modric in the 54th and a goal by Vinícius Júnior in the 59th, seconds after he came on as a substitute.

Inter Milan hosted Borussia Mönchengladbach in the other Group B match later Wednesday.

Shakhtar arrived in Spain without several key players who were not fully fit after going into isolation because of positive COVID-19 tests. Seven regular starters and a couple of first-choice substitutes were absent, and coach Luis Castro had to call up seven players from the “B” team.

Image credits: AP