Shakhtar make winning start at new Champions League ‘home’
Fans of the Ukrainian champions turned up in their thousands at Stamford Bridge to support their team in a 3-1 comeback win over AEK Athens.
Stadium Champions League champions Shakhtar Donetsk kicked off their European campaign in style, securing a 3-1 victory over AEK Athens at London's Stamford Bridge. The Ukrainian team, currently residing in the UK amid ongoing conflict, marked their new Champions League home by welcoming fans in their thousands. AEK Athens took the lead in the 28th minute through Lovro Majer, but Shakhtar's Pedrinho equalized just six minutes later.
Vinicius Tobias secured the win for Shakhtar with a goal in the final ten minutes, while substitute Gleiker Mendoza sealed the match. The result leaves Shakhtar with four points after two games, following a draw against PSV Eindhoven. The club's chief executive, Sergei Palkin, emphasized the importance of playing at Stamford Bridge as a way to highlight the struggles of the war-torn nation.
Fans, many from the Ukrainian expat community, turned out in force, swelling the crowd to 29,000 spectators. The match came on the same day as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's talks with British Prime Minister Andrew Burnham, highlighting the ongoing relevance of the conflict.
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- Shakhtar make winning start at new Champions League ‘home’ freemalaysiatoday.com
