Surprise in the Champions: FC Sheriff, the club of the country that does not exist, won in the debut

09/15/2021 5:20 PM

• Clarín.com

• sports

Updated 09/15/2021 5:20 PM

While in Belgium Lionel Messi was preparing to debut in the Champions League with his new team, Paris Saint Germain, in Tiraspol a club from a country that does not exist played its first game in the history of the Orejona.

And won.

FC Sheriff

, which represents a separatist territory within Moldova, beat

Shakhtar Donetsk

of Ukraine

2-0

, by group D, completed by Real Madrid and Inter.

The young and small institution founded in 1997 by two ex-agents of the Soviet secret service who put Transnistria, a self-proclaimed territory as an independent republic on the map, had the dream debut in the top European competition after playing four editions of the Europa League.

Debutants Sheriff secure historic win!

👏 # UCL pic.twitter.com/W0Dhr08Uyj

- UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 15, 2021

In a squad that has a melting pot of nationalities, the starting eleven

did not have Moldovan players

and two African forwards, Traoré and Yansane, scored the goals after the assists of the Brazilian full-back Cristiano, the best player of the match.

While Shakhtar Donetsk dominated from the opening whistle, the hosts held out, defended well and were effective.

The first blow came at 16 minutes.

The left-handed winger Cristiano took the opportunity to travel the entire band and send the center to the heart of the area, where the Malian Adama Traoré finished acrobatic with his left leg, beating Pyatov, who could do more.

Inspires Sheriff in qualifying ✅

Scores first ever Champions League goal for Sheriff ✅

Adama Traore 👏 @ FotclubSheriff |

#UCL pic.twitter.com/XSmwZ7Mne3

- UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 15, 2021

The Ukrainian team seemed knocked out and could only recover after half an hour, when another Traoré, Lassina, had the equalizer on his feet when he received the ball inside the area and took a powerful shot that was guessed by the Greek Athnasiadis to clear the corner.

Affirmed in the background, Sheriff managed to go to rest in advantage and increase it in the second half.

It was only at 17 minutes, because before he suffered the attacks of the rival from which he was saved thanks to an impeccable Athanasiadis.

As in the first half, Cristiano appeared on the left wing, looked up and placed the ball as if with a glove on the forehead of the Guinean Yasmane, who finished with his head.

Impotence reigned in Shakhtar, while the fans in Tiraspol could not believe their eyes and so the end of the match was a party.

Sheriff showed that his classification was not accidental.

In fact, with this victory, he has already added nine games without losing, with seven wins and two draws, since the preliminary phase of the competition.

And they are already thinking about the next challenge: visiting the renovated Santiago Bernabéu stadium to face the giant Real Madrid on Tuesday 28. After the debut, he has the license to dream.

With information from EFE

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