Sporting CP beat Shakhtar Donetsk as Doumbia makes the difference

Sporting CP left London with a 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League, and Issa Doumbia was the player who tipped the balance. His 59th-minute goal settled a tight night at Chelsea's ground, and Sporting left with three points that may already be enough for access to the Champions League play-off.

Doumbia's decisive night

Doumbia did more than finish the move. A Bola's match report said Sporting stayed organised and never took their eyes off the opposing goal, and that Doumbia's goal came after a good move by Ioannidis and Andersen, with the chance finished after a rebound off Pedro Henrique.

The performance score matched the eye test. Doumbia posted an 8.17 rating, the best of the Sporting starters, and he has now scored 2 Champions League goals this season. That is a decent return in a competition where chances tend to be thin, especially in a game that was decided by one moment.

Sporting's control under pressure

Shakhtar had more of the ball in the first half, with 54% possession and 238 passes to Sporting's 214, but the Portuguese side kept the game in their range and waited for the opening. Sporting used a 3-4-1-2 shape against Shakhtar's 4-1-4-1, and the setup helped them stay compact when the home side pushed late.

Shakhtar did create openings after the interval, with chances in the 70th and 82nd minutes, and Newerton headed into Rui Silva's hands in the 90+1 minute. Even so, Sporting's 9 points from 4 Champions League matches leave them in a strong position in the league phase, while Shakhtar remain on 4 points from 4.