Sloppy City falter at last
PEP GUARDIOLA was left stunned on a cold night in Kharkiv as Manchester City’s 20-match winning run finally came to an end.
Goals from Bernard and Ismaily were no less than Shakhtar deserved after ripping the visitors to shreds with some impressive attacking play.
As expected, Guardiola rang the changes and rested some of his leading stars ahead of this weekend’s derby clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Whatever happened here, City were guaranteed to win the group, so Guardiola made seven changes from the side that beat West Ham last time out.
England Under-17 World Cup winner Phil Foden was handed his first Champions League start and the chance to make his mark on the team.
Foden, who is just 17, became the youngest player to start a Champions League game for an English side since Cesc Fabregas for Arsenal in 2004.
The likes of Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Kyle Walker started on the bench, while Kevin De Bruyne was suspended and David Silva injured.
This was Guardiola’s 100th Champions League game as a manager, becoming just the sixth to reach the landmark.
But it was a much bigger night for opposite number Paulo Fonseca, whose side needed to avoid defeat to secure second place in Group F and a spot in the last 16.
Shakhtar were the first to threaten when Taison surged forward but he sliced his shot badly wide.
Moments later, Taras Stepanenko burst into the box to set up Facundo Ferreyra whose shot was blocked.
City were dominating possession but struggling to do much with it.
It was the Ukrainians who looked most likely to score and Marlos threatened next, waltzing through feeble tackles only to shoot straight at Ederson.
City were riding their luck but it ran out after 26 minutes when Bernard fired Shakhtar ahead with a sublime strike. The Brazilian cut inside Danilo before curling an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
Moments later it took a smart save from Ederson to stop Bernard from making it 2-0, but the Shakhtar siege kept coming and Ismaily doubled his side’s lead after 32 minutes.
A curling pass exposed Danilo again and when Ederson came charging out but was beaten to it, Ismaily had a simple finish into an open net.
It took City almost 40 minutes to fashion a chance and even then Ilkay Gundogan saw his shot well blocked by Ivan Ordets.
Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov did well to foil Gabriel Jesus moments later as City tried to wake from their slumber.
Leroy Sane could have scored seconds after the restart but Pyatov denied him with another fine save.
Fernandinho headed a halfchance over and Ederson did well to deny Ismaily on the hour mark at the other end.
City hit the post after 80 minutes through Jesus, but deep into injury-time the visitors did grab a consolation as substitute Aguero converted from the spot after Bohdan Butko had fouled Jesus in the box.
There was to be no time for a late equaliser and City, after a long winning run in all competitions, finally had to taste defeat again.