Wednesday, December 10, 2014

UEFA Champions League, Group H: Dragons and Shakhtar Draw; Athletic Blank BATE For Europa League Berth

Two games were played on Wednesday as Group H play in the UEFA Champions League came to a close.

At Porto, Portugal:

In a battle of Group H's two UCL knockout-stage-bound clubs, Vincent Aboubakar's equalizer in the 87th minute carried FC Porto, who already clinched top spot to a 1-1 home draw with Shakhtar Donetsk.  Taras Stepanenko scored in the 51st minute for the Ukrainian club.  That's the Dragons' Kelvin (right) battling Shakhtar's Ilsinho for the ball.

At Bilbao, Spain:

Mike San Jose Dominguez (47') and Markel Susaeta Laskurain (88', that's him [left] celebrating with teammates after scoring) each scored a goal as Athletic Bilbao gained a berth in the knockout stage in the Europa League with a 2-0 blanking of FC BATE Borisov, ending the Belorussian club's European campaign.

AFP/Getty Images photos

FINAL GROUP H STANDINGS:

1. FC Porto (GP: 6; GD: +12; PTS: 14)
2. Shakhtar Donetsk (GP: 6; GD: +11; PTS: 9)
3. Athletic Bilbao (GP: 6; GD: -1; PTS: 7)
4. FC BATE Borisov (GP: 6; GD: -22; PTS: 3)

FC Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk advanced to the Champions League's knockout stage while Athletic Bilbao qualified for the knockout stage of the Europa League.

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