Eduardo Da Silva scores winner as Shakhtar Donetsk upset Gunners 2-1 in Champions League
Eduardou00a0Da Silva scores winner asu00a0Shakhtar Donetsk upset Gunners 2-1 in Champions LeagueEduardo da Silva ended Arsenal's 100 percent start in the Champions League as the Croatian's clinical strike gave Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-1 win over his former club last night.
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| Unfortunate:u00a0Arsenal's Craig Eastmond (right) deflects the ball past his own 'keeper Lukasz Fabianski off a shot from Shakhtar Donetsk's Dmytro Chygrynskiy (center) during their Champions League Group H tie at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk, Ukraine. Donetsk won 2-1. pic/getty images |
Eduardo spent three injury-ravaged years at Arsenal before moving to Shakhtar in July and the 27-year-old forward showed his old teammates he is still a force to be reckoned with by driving in the goal which dented their charge towards the knockout stages.
Arsene Wenger's side had taken the lead through Theo Walcott early in the first half, but Craig Eastmond's own-goal drew Shakhtar level before Eduardo won it for the Ukrainian champions.
It was a bittersweet moment for Eduardo, who has fond memories of the way he was cared for at Arsenal in the aftermath of the horrendous injury he suffered in a challenge with Birmingham's Martin Taylor in 2008.
But, while he refused to celebrate his winner, Eduardo was the toast of Donetsk for a goal that lifted his side level on points with group leaders Arsenal.
Injuries to midfield trio Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song and Andrey Arshavin were a significant blow, but the Gunners were quickly into their stride .
Jack Wilshere laid the ball into Walcott's path as Arsenal broke from a Shakhtar corner and the England winger sprinted clear of the home defence before sliding a low finish past Andriy Pyatov from just outside the penalty area.
Shakhtar's equaliser arrived in the 28th minute after Emmanuel Eboue tripped Jadson. Jadson took the set-piece himself whipping over a teasing delivery that Chygrynskiy met with a powerful header which Eastmond glanced into his own net.
Arsenal were struggling to keep the hosts at bay now and a woeful piece of defending by French left-back Gael Clichy gifted Shakhtar the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Clichy had time to clear from deep inside his own half, but opted to take an extra touch, allowing Darijo Srna to steal possession and drill over a low cross that Eduardo swept past Fabianski.
There was more frustration for Arsenal after the interval as England midfielder Wilshere missed a glorious chance to equalise when he robbed Willian on the edge of the area, only to bend the ball wide.
