Football
2015-16 UEFA Champions League, Group Stage
MAL 
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FT
 SHK
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PA Sport 8y

Malmo beat Shakhtar Donetsk to stay alive for Champions League last 16

Malmo remain in contention to reach the Champions League's last 16 after a 1-0 group A victory over Shakhtar Donetsk that took the Ukrainians to the brink of elimination.

The goalless draw between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain leaves the Spanish and French teams level on seven points and joint top of the group, and Malmo in third place with three points and three fixtures remaining.

Shakhtar have lost all three matches, and may even struggle to progress into the Europa League by finishing third after a goal from Malmo striker Markus Rosenberg gave the hosts a win that should have been by a wider margin.

Rosenberg's goal came in the 17th minute, soon after Brazil international midfielder Bernard missed a chance for the visitors.

Reading left-back Pa Konate's run and cutback, the former West Brom striker, calmly and routinely sent a side-footed effort across goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov to give the hosts their first goal of this season's group stage.

Their confidence grew after the goal and they improved, albeit against flat opponents, as the half progressed.

Ten minutes after the break, when Jo Inge Berget was fouled in the area by Darijo Srna, Malmo were given a penalty.

Nikola Djurdjic's reasonable effort was saved by Pyatov, however, keeping the visitors' hopes of avoiding defeat alive.

Shakhtar's finest chance to equalise came in the 87th minute, when Taras Stepanenko missed the target when well placed, though given Malmo had also by now wasted enough chances to give them an unassailable lead, a goal for the visitors would have been unjust.

The teams meet again in Ukraine, on Nov. 3, when anything but victory for hosts Shakhtar would likely condemn them to bottom of the group.

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