Julian Nagelsmann's Hoffenheim held their own on their UEFA Champions League debut, taking a point off Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk in a entertaining 2-2 draw at the Metalist Stadium.
Shakhtar Donetsk 2-2 Hoffenheim
Goals: 0-1 Grillitsch (6'), 1-1 Ismaily (27’), 1-2 Nordtveit (38’), 2-2 Maycon (81’)
Hoffenheim played with the shackles off from the get-go in Ukraine, taking the lead as early as the sixth minute when Florian Grillitsch exchanged passes with 2018 FIFA World Cup finalist Andrej Kramaric and coolly dinked over Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov. The Bundesliga’s joint-top scorer Adam Szalai threatened a second with a header that was met by a fine Pyatov save, before Shakhtar capped a sustained spell of pressure with the equalising goal through Ismaily.
Hoffenheim responded in kind as Pyatov kept out a bullet header from Leonardo Bittencourt, but the Shakhtar stopper could no nothing to prevent Havard Nordtveit from powering in a Kramaric corner shortly before half-time. Nagelsmann’s side continued to play on their terms after the restart as Kramaric’s curling strike forced Pyatov into action once more. Hoffenheim appeared on course for a famous win, only for Shakhtar substitute Maycon to level nine minutes from normal time with an unstoppable 25-yard drive.
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Match stats
- Nagelsmann, 31, is the youngest coach in Champions League history.
- Hoffenheim were competing in their ninth UEFA fixture (W1, D3, L5), but first in the Champions League. The Sinsheim club made their European debut against eventual runners-up Liverpool in last season's Champions League play-offs, losing 6-3 on aggregate. They went on to finish fourth in their Europa League group.
- Hoffenheim's Arsenal-owned forward Reiss Nelson made his Champions League debut as a second-half substitute for Kramaric.
- Hoffenheim are the 13th German club to play in the Champions League - a joint competition record with Spain.
- Nine different Hoffenheim scorers have shared 13 goals in Europe to date. Mark Uth, who joined Schalke in the summer, netted three.
- Manchester City and Lyon complete Champions League Group F.
Line-ups
Shakhtar: Pyatov - Butko, Khocholava, Rakitskiy, Ismaily - Stepanenko (c), Alan Patrick (Maycon 75'), Marlos, Taison, Bolbat (Kovalenko 56') - Moraes
Unused subs: Shevchenko, Kryvtsov, Totovytski, Danchenko, Fernando
Absentees: Dentinho, Olarenwaju Kayode (unspecified), Ordets (thigh)
Coach: Paulo Fonseca
Hoffenheim: Baumann – Nordtveit, Vogt (c), Posch - Kaderabek, Grillitsch, Bittencourt (Demirbay 64'), Schulz – Joelinton, Szalai (Zuber 75'), Kramaric (Nelson 85')
Unused subs: Kobel, Hoogma, Akpoguma, Grifo
Absentees: Adams (ankle), Amiri (foot), Belfodil, Brenet (both disciplinary), Bicakcic (Achilles), Geiger (thigh), Grillitsch (shoulder), Hübner (concussion)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
