Torres on target as Barcelona edge out Shakhtar

Barcelona’s Ferran Torres scored one goal and assisted another as his side held off Shakhtar Donetsk to maintain their perfect Group H record in the Champions League.

Torres opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a rebounded effort after Fermin Lopez hit the post.

The ex-Manchester City forward then set up Lopez for Barca’s second eight minutes later.

Heorhii Sudakov scored a second-half consolation goal but the hosts held on.

The five-time winners, who last lifted the trophy in 2015, are top of their group with nine points, while Shakhtar stay third, six points behind the La Liga champions.

Torres impresses before El Clasico

With usual centre-forward Robert Lewandowski out with an ankle injury, Torres made the perfect case to start up front in Saturday’s El Clasico league match against rivals Real Madrid.

The 23-year-old found the net in his second consecutive Champions League game, smashing a bouncing loose ball into the net.

He then received the ball on the turn and set up Lopez who brilliantly doubled Barca’s advantage with a fine strike which went in off the post.

Lopez also hit the woodwork in the second half and had a header ruled out for offside which would have restored his side’s two-goal lead in the 70th minute.

Shakhtar stunned their hosts, scoring on a rare break upfield, but never looked like adding a second to take a point from the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

Barcelona started 16-year-old Lamine Yamal for the second time in the Champions League, while 17-year-old Marc Guiu, who scored the winner on his debut against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, came on as a late substitute.

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1ter Stegen
  • 2Cancelo
  • 4Araujo
  • 5MartínezSubstituted forChristensenat 82′minutes
  • 17AlonsoSubstituted forBaldeat 70′minutesBooked at 75mins
  • 32LópezSubstituted forCasadóat 82′minutes
  • 18Romeu
  • 22Gündogan
  • 27Yamal
  • 7F TorresBooked at 43mins
  • 14João FélixSubstituted forGuiuat 75′minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Balde
  • 13Peña Sotorres
  • 15Christensen
  • 26Astralaga
  • 30Casadó
  • 33Cubarsí
  • 34Garrido
  • 38Guiu
  • 39Fort

Shakhtar Donetsk

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 31Riznyk
  • 26KonoplyaBooked at 72mins
  • 5BondarBooked at 87mins
  • 22Matvienko
  • 16Azarovi
  • 21Bondarenko
  • 6StepanenkoSubstituted forde Sousa Lemosat 90+2′minutes
  • 11Zubkov
  • 10Sudakov
  • 8KryskivBooked at 50minsSubstituted forMartins da Silvaat 63′minutes
  • 14SikanSubstituted forKelsyat 70′minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Rudko
  • 4Castillo
  • 7de Sousa Lemos
  • 9Shved
  • 13Gocholeishvili
  • 18Kelsy
  • 19Chygrynskiy
  • 20Topalov
  • 27Ocheretko
  • 29Nazaryna
  • 39Martins da Silva
  • 44Rakitskyi
Referee:
Ivan Kruzliak
Attendance:
41,409

Live Text

Source: BBC