UEFA Champions League | Shakhtar Donetsk 2 – Roma 1

A fabulous free-kick from Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred gave his side a 2-1 victory in the first leg of their Champions League clash against Roma.

Shakhtar Donetsk's players celebrating after scoring the winning goal
Shakhtar Donetsk's players celebrating after scoring the winning goal

Shakhtar Donetsk fought back to beat Roma 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian side won all three of their group games in Kharkiv and maintained that fine record to win just a third Champions League knockout game in their history - remarkably all have come against the Giallorossi.

Eusebio Di Francesco's side were surprise winners of a group including Chelsea and Atletico Madrid and they impressed in the first half, with Shakhtar perhaps slow to start in just their second game back from a long mid-season break.

Having polished the likes of Mohamed Salah and Miralem Pjanic in recent years, Roma look to have unearthed another gem in Cengiz Under and the 20-year-old Turk put the Giallorossi ahead with his fifth goal in four games shortly before the break.

Shakhtar's first-half attacking efforts had amounted to little, but Facundo Ferreyra dragged them level soon after the break with a fine individual goal and Fred turned the game around with a picture-perfect free-kick.

Roma were similarly impressive at the Stadio Olimpico earlier in the competition, keeping clean sheets in each of their group games, and they will hope that helps them turn the tie around on March 13.