Shakhtar created far more than usual and still lost 1-0

Issa Doumbia's 59th-minute goal settled a Champions League match in which Shakhtar Donetsk created far more than usual and Sporting CP far less.

Shakhtar Donetsk created far better chances than usual and still went home with nothing. Issa Doumbia's goal in the 59th minute was the only one of the match, and it gave Sporting CP a 1-0 win. Shakhtar's expected goals figure, a score for the quality of each chance rather than the number that went in, came to 1.68. Their average at home this season is 0.93, so this was a clear step up in the quality of their openings.

Shakhtar had 54% of the ball, a touch above their usual 52%, and took 14 shots against an average of 10.3. Seven of those came from inside the penalty area, where most goals are scored, so most of them were not speculative efforts from distance. Only four were on target, and that gap between chances and goals is the whole story of their evening.

Sporting CP made far less of their openings. Their expected goals figure was 1.24, against the 2.34 they average away from home, and they took 10 shots where they usually take 11.3. Eight of those shots came from inside the box, which is a better share than most sides manage, but they still scored only once where they usually score 2.3 on the road. Across the league the average match produces 3.8 goals, so a single goal makes this one a low scorer by that measure.

Issa Doumbia's goal earned him a rating of 8.2, the highest in either side's list of players. Vinícius Tobias was the busiest man for Shakhtar in the fight for the ball, winning eight duels, more than anyone else named in the list. Pedrinho had two shots for the home side, one of them on target, and that was about as close as Shakhtar came to changing the scoreline.

Form points the same way as the result. Shakhtar have won one of their last six matches, drawing two and losing three. Sporting CP have won three of theirs, drawing one and losing two, so this was a side arriving with momentum behind them.

In the table, Shakhtar sit 17th with four points from three matches. Sporting CP are 12th with six points from the same three games.

Player of the matchI. Doumbia1 goal8.2

Eduardo Quaresma1 shot on target7.6

E. Nazaryna2 chances created7.2

S. Andersen3 chances created7.2