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The Times of India
Sept 19 2012
Mkhitaryan double spoils Nordsjaelland's Champions League debut
DONETSK ( Ukraine): A double from Armenian midfielder Henrik
Mkhitaryan gave Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-0 win over
Danish Champions League debutants Nordsjaelland on Wednesday in their
opening Group E match.
Mkhitaryan's double -- one in each half -- took his tally this season
to 11 goals in 14 games in league and Champions League.
Shakhtar's highly-rated Brazilian forward Willian -- who had been a
target for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer -- had made a couple of
bright runs early on for the hosts but sent one effort wide and the
other one had been goalbound before being deflected for a corner.
However, it was Nordsjaelland who had the first shot on target as
36-year-old veteran midfielder Nicolai Stokholm let fly with a great
effort which Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov was equal to.
The Danish side were more than holding their own and American central
defender Michael Parkhurst exemplified that by getting his head in the
way of a Razvan Rat volley which laid him out.
However, the hosts were beginning to turn the screw and Mkhitaryan and
then Rat both went close with efforts as the half came to a
conclusion.
Mkhitaryan then missed with a volley but, a minute from half time, he
finally put away a chance to add to his growing reputation as a
marksman.
The lively Mkhitaryan had a great chance to double his side's lead 13
minutes into the second half but Nordsjaelland goalkeeper Jesper
Hansen got down well to block his effort.
The classy Armenian, though, made no mistake 14 minutes from time when
he knocked the ball home after the ball came back to him following his
initial attempt to play in a teammate.
Hansen had been outstanding all night and, having denied Willian's
curling effort, he then came to his side's rescue late on with a
double save from Shakhtar's Croatian captain Darijo Srna and then the
Czech Tomas Hubschman.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Mkhitaryan-double-spoils-Nordsjaellands-Champions-League-debut/articleshow/16469065.cms
Sept 19 2012
Mkhitaryan double spoils Nordsjaelland's Champions League debut
DONETSK ( Ukraine): A double from Armenian midfielder Henrik
Mkhitaryan gave Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-0 win over
Danish Champions League debutants Nordsjaelland on Wednesday in their
opening Group E match.
Mkhitaryan's double -- one in each half -- took his tally this season
to 11 goals in 14 games in league and Champions League.
Shakhtar's highly-rated Brazilian forward Willian -- who had been a
target for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer -- had made a couple of
bright runs early on for the hosts but sent one effort wide and the
other one had been goalbound before being deflected for a corner.
However, it was Nordsjaelland who had the first shot on target as
36-year-old veteran midfielder Nicolai Stokholm let fly with a great
effort which Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov was equal to.
The Danish side were more than holding their own and American central
defender Michael Parkhurst exemplified that by getting his head in the
way of a Razvan Rat volley which laid him out.
However, the hosts were beginning to turn the screw and Mkhitaryan and
then Rat both went close with efforts as the half came to a
conclusion.
Mkhitaryan then missed with a volley but, a minute from half time, he
finally put away a chance to add to his growing reputation as a
marksman.
The lively Mkhitaryan had a great chance to double his side's lead 13
minutes into the second half but Nordsjaelland goalkeeper Jesper
Hansen got down well to block his effort.
The classy Armenian, though, made no mistake 14 minutes from time when
he knocked the ball home after the ball came back to him following his
initial attempt to play in a teammate.
Hansen had been outstanding all night and, having denied Willian's
curling effort, he then came to his side's rescue late on with a
double save from Shakhtar's Croatian captain Darijo Srna and then the
Czech Tomas Hubschman.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Mkhitaryan-double-spoils-Nordsjaellands-Champions-League-debut/articleshow/16469065.cms