Shakhtar Donetsk beat AEK Athens 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League league phase.

The UEFA Champions League league phase match between Shakhtar Donetsk and AEK Athens took place on 14 October 2026 at Stamford Bridge in London. Both sides entered the game looking to gain valuable points, and the atmosphere was charged as the visitors took on the hosts in a neutral venue.

How it unfolded

The first notable incident came in the 18th minute when Lovro Majer of AEK Athens was shown a yellow card for a bad foul. The booking did not deter the Croatian midfielder, who went on to make a decisive impact later in the half. Ten minutes later, at the 28th minute, Majer opened the scoring. He received a fast-break pass from Stavros Pilios and fired a left-footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner, giving AEK Athens an early lead.

Shakhtar Donetsk responded swiftly. Six minutes after conceding, Pedrinho stepped up to convert a penalty in the 34th minute, leveling the score at 1-1. The penalty was taken with his left foot and found the bottom right corner, restoring parity before the break.

The second half began with another booking for AEK Athens when Harold Moukoudi was shown a yellow card for a bad foul in the 42nd minute. Shakhtar’s own Marlon Gomes received a yellow card for a bad foul in the 54th minute, adding to the disciplinary tally.

AEK Athens continued to feel the pressure, and Razvan Marin was booked for a bad foul in the 61st minute. The match remained tight until the 80th minute, when Vinícius Tobias broke the deadlock for Shakhtar. He received an assist from Alisson Santana and struck a right-footed shot from the right side of the box into the high centre of the goal, putting Shakhtar ahead 2-1.

Just six minutes later, in the 86th minute, Gleiker Mendoza extended Shakhtar’s lead. Isaque supplied the ball, and Mendoza finished with a right-footed shot from the left side of the box into the top right corner, making it 3-1.

The final booking of the match came in added time when Barnabás Varga of AEK Athens was shown a yellow card for a bad foul in the 90th minute. The game concluded with Shakhtar Donetsk securing a 3-1 win.

Standout performers

  • Pedrinho (Shakhtar Donetsk) – Scored the equalising penalty in the 34th minute.
  • Vinícius Tobias (Shakhtar Donetsk) – Netted the go-ahead goal in the 80th minute, assisted by Alisson Santana.
  • Gleiker Mendoza (Shakhtar Donetsk) – Added the third goal in the 86th minute, set up by Isaque.
  • Lovro Majer (AEK Athens) – Scored the opening goal in the 28th minute, assisted by Stavros Pilios.

Match facts

  • Final score: Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 AEK Athens
  • Scorers:
    • Lovro Majer (AEK Athens) – 28'
    • Pedrinho (Shakhtar Donetsk) – 34' (penalty)
    • Vinícius Tobias (Shakhtar Donetsk) – 80' (assist: Alisson Santana)
    • Gleiker Mendoza (Shakhtar Donetsk) – 86' (assist: Isaque)
  • Bookings:
    • Lovro Majer (AEK Athens) – 18'
    • Harold Moukoudi (AEK Athens) – 42'
    • Marlon Gomes (Shakhtar Donetsk) – 54'
    • Razvan Marin (AEK Athens) – 61'
    • Barnabás Varga (AEK Athens) – 90'
  • Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
  • Competition: UEFA Champions League, League Phase

What it means

Shakhtar Donetsk earned three points from the encounter, strengthening their position in the UEFA Champions League league phase, while AEK Athens left the match with a single point after their early lead was overturned.