Only the last one is not always remembered. Sometimes it’s not just the last stop that matters, but the entire journey. Sometimes even if you didn’t make it to the last wagon, fate will reward you a little later. At least for the effort.

Shakhtar could not get on the last carriage of the train called the Champions League play-offs. “Porto” got there.

A very similar situation happened to the Pitmen last season; They were fighting for second place in the group with Leipzig until the last round. Things didn’t go well then either: in the last match, the Germans defeated the Donetsk team.

This time defeat was avoided. The challenge turned out to be competitive, entertaining, and sometimes even entertaining. But still Porto’s victory was natural and deserved.

I said many times before the match that the match against the Portuguese giants would be many times more difficult for the Orange-Blacks than the matches against Barcelona. I repeat once again: This is indeed true.

Porto plays very compact, aggressive and sometimes tough football. Something of the unforgettable Mourinho remained in this team’s performance; A dazzling sharpness contrasted with fluidity. If this team scores first, it is very difficult to turn the game in their favor. If it is possible.

Shakhtar understood very well where they were and who they had to play against. In our first match against the Portuguese vice-champion, our champion looked like a whipping boy. It was not for nothing that the “Dragons” coach Sergio Conceicao called the then “miners” the “regional team”. He also paid tribute to Shakhtar under Pusic.

It is difficult for me to say whether Shakhtar would have taken points from Porto in the Hamburg match if Pusic had managed the team. Yes, even Srna, if not Van Leeuwen. This is no longer important in principle. But the fact that the Donetsk team looked very ridiculous at that time is obvious.

Now I will repeat the same Conceicao, Shakhtar looks like a very battle-ready unit. And in the last match of the Champions League group cycle, he clearly demonstrated his fighting efficiency. However, all this was not enough to solve the problem.

***

Before the match started, the match that the Donetsk team would play in Dragau was positioned on Shakhtar’s official website as the “main match of the year”. Of course it was, for tournament reasons.

But if we talk about the essence of the matter, that is, the game, then personally, with all due respect, I have never seen the players of our team “die” with their own blood on the football field, and then draw the story. “main match of the year”.

In reality, everything turned out to be – again, for me personally – much less important. In the opening period of the match, Shakhtar tried to unbalance their opponent and force them to open with their shaky passes. But it didn’t work. From the word “absolutely”.

And it didn’t work very well, because the wrong tactics were chosen (which, it seems to me, was appropriate), but not all Shakhtar players managed to keep such tactics alive, or even translate it into languages. desired result.

It has been said and retold that the current Shakhtar’s Achilles heel is defence, particularly the central beachhead. I don’t see the point in dwelling on this issue once again.

However, I cannot help but point out the poor play of Donetsk defenders, especially Bondar. If Rakitsky lacks speed from a young age, so does Bondar. Another thing is that he has no other virtues.

And against the background of both defenders of Shakhtar, 40-year-old Porto defender Pepe looks like a real giant. In fact, this is the difference between Shakhtar and Porto.

I would also like to say a few words about the current goalkeeper of Shakhtar. In my opinion, Riznyk, along with Bondar, is the weakest link of the team. The former Vorskla goalkeeper has not yet reached the level of Pyatov or Trubin. And you have to come to terms with that. And do something.

In this “match of the year” I was unhappy with another Shakhtar football player, Georgy Sudakov. And it is precisely in this context that there is no need to talk about a model, because Zhora is the main talent of the Pitmen’s offensive unit, which has accustomed us all to high-level goals. But not right now.

Of course, when I “dive” someone, I am also obliged to give justice to those who deserve it. First we have to talk about Sicana. The guy once again proved that he is the main striker of the current Shakhtar.

Stepanenko had a good match, Zubkov was also on par. Actually that’s all. The rest are below their level.

So, it turned out that Shakhtar did not have an outstanding match in Dragau, to say the least. More like average to be honest.

Objectively speaking, with such a game, especially in defense, it is almost impossible to claim victory in the “main match of the year”.

But I can’t fault the Pitmen in any way for their lack of effort or desire. Instead, I’ll repeat after Pusic: “Despite the defeat, I’m still proud of the team.”

And that pride extends far beyond the final match of the group stage. In fact, in all matches except the opening match. Getting 9 points from such a difficult group, qualifying for the Champions League this spring and getting a ticket to the Europa League this spring is a good result. Especially against the background of the European Cup “successes” of our other fully authorized representatives.

However, I must also admit that third place in the Champions League group is the ceiling for the current Shakhtar. His own level does not allow him to jump higher. And higher level competitors.

Therefore everything is completely fair. Although realizing this does not make the situation any easier.