Malmo’s manager Age Hareide celebrates Jo Inge Berget scoring his goal during their Champions League qualifying round, first leg soccer match between Celtic and Malmo at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday August 19, 2015.
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Seasoned Champions League campaigners Shakhtar Donetsk took the advantage with a 1-0 first-leg win in their play-off with Rapid Vienna in Austria.
Shakhtar have started the season poorly in the Ukraine lying third in the league table but they had an impressive win over Fenerbahce in the last round, this is a serious side with Bernard, Fred, Teixera and Eduardo all quality attacking players.
Defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy set up Marlos in the 44th, and the Brazilian midfielder wrongfooted Rapid defender Stephan Auer before beating goalkeeper Jan Novota with a low diagonal shot.
Under head coach Mircea Lucescu, Shakhtar has won eight of the last nine championships and the 2009 UEFA Cup.
“In general, I think the meeting proved spectacular, and the fans enjoyed it. We dominated the first half, created many chances and managed to score”.
Earlier, Rodrigo de Paul and Daniel Parejo had scored for the hosts, with Mario Pasalic replying for the Ligue 1 side early in the second half.
Skenderbeu, who are looking to become the first Albanian side to reach the Champions League group stages, took the lead through captain Blendi Shkembi, who curled in a stunning free-kick from the edge of the box.
Rapid were previously unbeaten in all competitions this season and they tried their best to maintain that record but Pyatov was proving tough to beat.
Shakhtar has been in the group stage of the Champions League for every year since 2010.
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Stepanenko clashed with Rapid’s Srdan Grahovac just before half-time and was carried off the field on a stretcher while Grahovac continued to play on wearing a bandage on his head.
