CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Shakhtar edge Roma in five-goal thriller

Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk will take the advantage into the return leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash with Italian club AS Roma after winning 3-2 at Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night.

The home side took the lead through Simone Perrotta, who headed home powerfully in the 28th minute, before Shakhtar answered quickly when Jadson’s shot from the edge of the area had a little help from Roma’s Daniele De Rossi less than a minute later.

In the 36th minute, Douglas Costa received a ball from Jadson and proceeded to curl a left-footer from the edge of the box past Roma keeper Doni before he pounced on a John Arne Riise error, supplying Luiz Adriano who fired home to make it 3-1 prior to half-time.

Claudio Ranieri’s men came out with a neater performance in the second term and were given hope when Jeremy Menez rifled home Perrotta’s header just after the hour-mark to make it 3-2.

But they were unable to bridge the divide with Mircea Lucescu’s side holding on for a vital win with three away goals ahead of the return leg at the Donbass Arena on March 8.