GELSENKIRCHEN – Shakhtar Donetsk booked a clash with Inter Milan in the Europa League semi-finals after goals from Brazilians Junior Moraes, Taison, Alan Patrick and Dodo gave them a 4-1 win over FC Basel in a one-sided last-eight clash on Tuesday.
Shakhtar, who won Europe’s second-tier competition in 2009, missed a string of chances to win by an even bigger margin as they dominated throughout the match with crisp one-touch passing and superior close control.
Moraes headed the Ukrainian side into a second-minute lead after a howler by Basel’s Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Nikolic, who was beaten to the ball by the striker after he rushed off his line to meet a Marlos corner.
Nikolic made amends with several good saves in the first half but was powerless in the 22nd minute when Taison capped a lightning Shakhtar break with a deflected shot after good work by Marlos and a clever dummy by Patrick.
🔥 YESSS! WE ARE THROUGH TO THE EUROPA LEAGUE SEMIS! ⚒🧡
We won 4-1 and advanced to the next stage to take on Internazionale Milano on August 17!#ShakhtarBasel #InterShakhtar #UEL @EuropaLeague pic.twitter.com/ijiLB3dvnv
— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) August 11, 2020
Marcos Antonio rattled the woodwork with a long-range effort in the 40th minute before Patrick made it 3-0 with a 75th-minute penalty after Yannick Marchand fouled Taison in the area.