Benfica 1-1 Milan
SL Benfica thought they had done enough to live another day in the UEFA Champions League after coming from behind to draw 1-1 with AC Milan, only for a late goal in Glasgow to send the holders through and end the Portuguese club's chances of reaching the knockout stages.
Celebrations curtailed
The Eagles were still in contention when the final whistle blew at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Andrea Pirlo and Maxi Pereira having traded superb first-half goals, but the celebrations were curtailed when news filtered through that Celtic FC had scored an added-time winner against FC Shakhtar Donetsk. Benfica now need to win in Ukraine to reach the UEFA Cup next Tuesday, when Milan entertain the Scottish club requiring a point to win Group D.
Nervous beginning
Although the Benfica players had shown their determation to get their campaign back on track by huddling together before kick-off, their unity was undermined by a nervous beginning. Alberto Gilardino spurned an excellent chance in just the second minute having been picked out by Cristian Brocchi's right-wing cross. Two minutes later and Quim was forced into action by Clarence Seedorf, turning the Dutchman's shot round the post after a one-two with Gilardino.
Magnificent shot
It was of little surprise, then, when the visitors took the lead on the quarter-hour. Milan built patiently down the left, although the dynamic of the attack changed after Kaká played the ball to Pirlo and the Italy midfielder ran unchallenged before swerving a magnificent low shot into the corner or the net from distance. Pirlo was almost behind a second goal for the visitors three minutes later, Quim having to intervene after Petit nearly turned a free-kick from the Milan man into his own goal.
Lovely touch
Their hopes still alive, Benfica hit back in the 20th minute. Rui Costa and Konstantinos Katsouranis played the ball from left to right to Pereira who showed a lovely touch to cut inside Gennaro Gattuso before arrowing a rising shot from outside the box beyond Dida via the Brazilian's post. It was real end-to-end stuff now, David Luiz denying Kaká in one area with a superb sliding challenge after a swift counterattack; Cristián Rodríguez twice going close in the other.
Maldini on
Kakha Kaladze then cleared a 38th-minute Pereira shot behind with Dida grounded as Benfica upped the tempo, prompting Carlo Ancelotti to introduce Paolo Maldini for Serginho at half-time. Another change quickly followed, Yoann Gourcuff replacing the injured Brocchi, and the new men were able to settle as the frenetic pace of the first period dropped.
Rui Costa influence
Rui Costa, against his former club, was the most influential player of the second half, showing a full array of tricks and flicks, yet it was only in the final few minutes that the game truly reignited. Dida made a couple of nervy stops before Kaká scuffed a shot wide when unmarked after charging into the box in the final minute. The Brazilian had an equally presentable opening in added time but headed wide, although Benfica's fate would soon be sealed by events elsewhere.
Celtic 2-1 Shakhtar
Substitute Massimo Donati scored with virtually the last kick of the game to finally separate Group D rivals Celtic FC and FC Shakhtar Donetsk on Matchday 5 in Glasgow.
Late drama
The UEFA Champions League contest looked destined to be drawn until Aiden McGeady crossed and Donati struck via a slight deflection off Tomáš Hübschman to steal the three points. That is now the margin between these teams ahead of Celtic's trip to already qualified AC Milan and Shakhtar's home match against SL Benfica on 4 December. Brandão and Jiří Jarošík had scored the earlier goals.
Repeat offenders
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan had warned against repeating the mistakes of Matchday 1, when his side conceded twice inside eight minutes in Donetsk, yet his words went unheeded. Another defensive lapse here gave the Ukrainian club the lead after four minutes. Centre-back John Kennedy, misjudging the flight of a long ball from the back from Hübschman, headed it weakly into the path of Brandão and, as in September, the Brazilian striker punished Celtic. He advanced unattended and let fly a left-foot shot that found the bottom corner despite goalkeeper Artur Boruc getting a hand to it.
Celtic response
The Celtic game plan was further disrupted when, with 15 minutes played, Lee Naylor limped off with a hamstring injury, forcing Paul Hartley to drop to left-back as Donati entered the midfield fray. So the hosts had to wait until the 22nd minute for their first opening. McGeady wriggled clear of two players before releasing Scott McDonald who could only lift his shot over. The latter's strike partner, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, went closer when he headed Gary Caldwell's right-wing cross just wide with keeper Andriy Pyatov beaten.
Stretcher case
For Mircea Lucescu's Shakhtar, Darijo Srna fizzed an attempt wide of Boruc's left-hand post, before Brandão twice came close to doubling the advantage. Kennedy had to block his first effort at the near post, and from the ensuing corner Boruc denied the No25's header with a superb reflex save. Celtic's night did get worse, however, when Kennedy was carried off with a knee injury, to be replaced by Steven Pressley.
The equaliser
Yet the next break was a lucky one for the Scottish title-holders. After Srna and his skipper Dmytro Chygrynskiy both went for the same long pass into the Shakhtar area, the ball dropped for Jarošík to thump a shot across Pyatov and in. First-half stoppage time might even have seen a second home goal, but Jarošík contrived to nod a diving header wide from a matter of metres.
At the death
Strachan's men at least came out for the second half with a renewed sense of purpose. For the first time in the match they enjoyed a sustained period of possession, while Shakhtar seemed content to sit and wait for the counterattack. Jadson's 65th-minute break exemplified this tactic, as he strode forward from midfield before firing right-footed over Boruc's crossbar. When Jarošík headed another opportunity over from Hartley's corner in the final quarter, a draw appeared inevitable. However, Donati's late arrival into the Shakhtar box deep into added time and thumping first-time strike changed all that.
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