Shakhtar Donetsk and Bayern Munich played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Lviv.
Bayern dominated the game for long spells until losing Xabi Alonso to a red card when the Spaniard picked up a second booking midway through the second half, and chances were difficult to come by late on as both sides settled for the draw.
Below, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the key talking points from the match.
Match statistics
SHAKHTAR DONETSK
Shots: 1
On target: 1
Possession: 36%
Corners: 0
Fouls: 15
BAYERN MUNICH
Shots: 8
On target: 1
Possession: 64%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 20
Was the result fair?
It would be difficult for fans of either side to claim that they deserved the victory tonight. On an evening when off-the-ball clashes were as common as chances, both sides struggled to produce the quality required to take advantage in the attacking areas. Predictably it was Bayern who dominated possession for long spells either side of Alonso's dismissal, but Pep Guardiola's side lacked a cutting edge. Shakhtar refused to take many risks late on, and a draw has to be considered a fair result.
Shakhtar's performance
Mircea Lucescu will certainly be happy with his players, but he may look back on this game as a missed opportunity. From the first whistle it was clear that Shakhtar were keen on frustrating Bayern, and they strayed from their usual offence-minded approach at home to defend deep. However, they struggled to launch counter-attacks, and Luiz Adriano was kept on the fringes of the game by Bayern's defence.
When Alonso was sent off an opportunity to snatch a valuable goal was there for the taking, but the hosts found it difficult to change their mentality late on, and Lucescu fought the temptation to send on another attacker in the closing stages. They may regret not taking more risks, but it was a fine defensive display.
Bayern's performance
Guardiola will be a frustrated man heading back to Bavaria. Just a few days after scoring eight goals against Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga, Bayern's attack were well below their best. Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery drifted in and out of the game, and it was a disappointing night for Thomas Muller, who wasted the only two clear chances in the first half. Guardiola's decision to leave Robert Lewandowski on the bench raised a few eyebrows, and the visitors did miss his physical presence as they looked to break down a stubborn Shakhtar defence.
However, the defence reacted well to losing Alonso, and Bayern offered very few chances to Shakhtar. Despite struggling to produce their best form in Lviv, Guardiola will be confident of guiding his side through at the Allianz Arena in March.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Fernando: In truth, it wasn't a night for individuals to steal the show in Lviv, but the defensive midfielder was in fine form as he looked to protect the back four. His persistence on the edge of his own box stopped a number of promising Bayern attacks, and both Robben and Ribery found it difficult to shake off the attention of the Brazilian.
Biggest gaffe
An impressive piece of play from Robben set up a rare chance for his side in the first half as he sprinted forward before playing in Muller. However, the German forward miscued his effort from just a few yards out on a forgettable night for the World Cup winner.
Referee performance
It wasn't an easy night for Alberto Undiano Mallenco as both sides were guilty of committing regular fouls in a game which threatened to get out of control at times. The Spaniard was right to send off Alonso for a second bookable offence, but he probably should have dismissed Douglas Costa after the Brazilian elbowed Ribery.
What next?
Bayern: Guardiola's side continue the defence of their Bundesliga title against Paderborn on Saturday.
Shakhtar: Vorskla travel to Lviv to meet Shakhtar in the Ukrainian Premier League on the final day of this month.
Callum Mulvihill
