UEFA Champions League: Shakhtar Donetsk 2 Borussia Dortmund 2

Borussia Dortmund claimed a 2-2 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk to take a big step toward the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Borussia Dortmund claimed a 2-2 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk to take a big step toward the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Darijo Srna put hosts Shakhtar ahead with a wonderful free-kick, but Juergen Klopp’s men soon hit back through Robert Lewandowski.

Douglas Costa looked to have given the hosts a slender advantage heading into the second leg, but Mats Hummels powered home a late header to leave Dortmund better placed to qualify for the next round.

It was the visitors who took the early initiative, with Jakub Blaszczykowski having a couple of early efforts on goals.

The Poland winger tried an acrobatic overhead-kick after a poorly cleared free-kick which went wide, before he dragged a shot across goal after being put through by Mario Goetze.

Dortmund continued to press and another Goetze ball found Lewandowski, who sent a tame header into the grasp of Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov.

The period of pressure should have culminated in a vital away goal, but Dortmund could not come any closer than on the 15-minute mark when Hummels sent a Goetze corner onto the bar, with Pyatov well beaten.

Shakhtar had looked dangerous on the break and gradually began to take control of the match, but they failed to offer any real craft in the Dortmund half.

After 30 minutes, though, the hosts were gifted the opener. Felipe Santana clumsily brought down Luiz Adriano 25 yards from goal and Croatia international Srna stepped up to drive the ball into the net.

In response, Blaszczykowski again produced two speculative efforts, one sent straight at the goalkeeper and the other fizzing wide.

It was a stroke of fortune which gave the German champions the equaliser with Lewandowski taking an air swipe at Goetze’s cross, which inadvertently sent two defenders to the ground and left the Pole free to hit the ball into goal from close range.

After the break, both teams looked capable of grabbing the lead. At one end, Marco Reus failed to wriggle free of two defenders and saw his shot charged down, before Henrik Mkhitaryan had an effort blocked by Felipe Santana.

The two sides took it in turns to counter-attack, but their respective defences were standing firm.

That was until the 69th minute, when Hummels misjudged a long ball which fell to Costa, who controlled superbly and let fly beyond Roman Weidenfeller.

Dortmund should have equalised straight afterwards following more superb delivery from Goetze. The German darted into the penalty area and squared to Lewandowski, who hooked an effort wide with the goal gaping.

It appeared that the Ukrainians had done to earn victory, but with just a couple of minutes remaining, Marcel Schmelzer swung in a corner, and Hummels atoned for his earlier error by powering home a header, giving his side the advantage in the tie.