Shakhtar Hold PSV in Champions League Opener After Mendoza Debut Goal
Shakhtar Donetsk opened their Champions League campaign with a hard-earned 1-1 draw at PSV Eindhoven, surviving sustained late pressure at the Philips Stadion to leave the Netherlands with a point.
Key takeaways
- Gleiker Mendoza gave Shakhtar the lead in first-half added time on his Champions League debut.
- PSV right-back Sergino Dest equalised soon after the interval.
- Shakhtar coach Arda Turan credited his players’ discipline against PSV’s aggressive man-to-man press.
- Nineteen-year-old midfielder Isaque made his first appearance in the competition.
- Mendoza said Shakhtar must maintain their level and continue collecting points in Europe.
Turan’s plan delivers a point
Venezuelan midfielder Mendoza struck with a curling effort after Shakhtar found space between PSV’s lines, but the home side responded quickly through Dest after the restart.
PSV, the Dutch champions, then forced Shakhtar into a determined defensive effort in the closing stages. Turan’s side held firm to begin their European campaign unbeaten away from home.
Turan said Shakhtar could not attempt to match PSV purely through intensity. Instead, he asked his team to retain its own approach, using diagonal runs and better body orientation to escape the first wave of pressure.
The former Barcelona midfielder explained that PSV’s individual marking required his players to receive the ball in the right positions and play through the press rather than trying to mirror the hosts’ style.
Mendoza said the coaching staff had repeatedly targeted the spaces in the half-channels between PSV’s defensive units. He described his first Champions League goal as an emotional moment and stressed that Shakhtar must build on the result in the coming fixtures.
Isaque’s debut carries added meaning
Turan also reflected on an emotional Champions League debut for Isaque. The Shakhtar manager recalled an early moment in their time together, when a bombing raid forced them into a hotel lobby and he covered the young midfielder with a blanket.
He told Isaque at the time that he needed to be prepared to fight, and pointed to those experiences as part of the resilience now required for major European nights.
