Hummels header seals draw at Shakhtar
Reuters - Wednesday 13 February 2013, 21:37
Borussia Dortmund grabbed a late 2-2 draw at Shakhtar
Donetsk on Wednesday in a Champions League last 16 first leg which was
overshadowed by a fatal plane crash involving fans.
Mats
Hummels headed in an 87th-minute corner after substitute Douglas Costa
thought he had won it for the hosts in the 68th minute to leave the
Germans as favourites ahead of the second leg in Dortmund on March 5.
"It
is important that we are going into the second leg level and a 0-0
would see us through. Certainly there were a few dangerous moments in
defence, but against a such an attack-minded team you can never avoid
this," Hummels told reporters.
Darijo
Srna put Shakhtar ahead with a 31st-minute free-kick but Dortmund
deservedly scored through Robert Lewandowski four minutes before the
break.
The match went ahead
despite at least five people being killed when a plane carrying
supporters to the match in eastern Ukraine overshot the Donetsk runway
and broke up as it attempted an emergency landing in the fog hours
before kick-off.
A minute's silence was held inside the Donbass Arena by players and fans before the match.
Dortmund
dominated early on with several half chances but Felipe Santana then
committed a needless foul and Srna's dipping effort went in past
goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller who could have done better.
The
visitors, who also hit the bar through Hummels, levelled when Poland's
Lewandowski completely miskicked in the box but the ball fell kindly for
the striker and he coolly slotted home.
Shakhtar,
slightly rusty with their domestic season on a mid-season break and
with Luiz Adriano back after his infamous unsporting conduct ban, only
came close again in the first half through Alex Teixeira after another
Weidenfeller misjudgement.
The
second period was more even and Brazilian Douglas Costa scored six
minutes after coming on when he controlled a long ball over the top and
swivelled to bury a fine shot into the corner of the net amid lax
Dortmund defending.
The 1997
Champions League winners had the last laugh though when Germany defender
Hummels rose unmarked to power in a header.