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Four-Goal Shakhtar Donetsk Set Up Europa League Semi-Final Against Inter Milan
Shakhtar Donetsk booked a clash with Inter Milan in the Europa League semi-finals after a 4-1 win over FC Basel on Tuesday.
Goals from Brazilians Junior Moraes, Taison, Alan Patrick and Dodo gave them the win in a one-sided last eight clash.
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The Ukrainian champions will take on Inter Milan in Duesseldorf on Monday after Sunday’s semi-final in Cologne between 2017 Europa League winners Manchester United and Sevilla.
Both sides have won Europe’s second-tier competition a record five times.
The final is set for Aug. 21 in Cologne.
Sevilla clinched their berth with a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in Tuesday’s other quarter-final, thanks to a late goal by Lucas Ocampos.
Shakhtar Donetsk, who won Europe’s second-tier club competition in 2009, missed a string of chances to triumph by an even bigger margin.
This went on as they dominated the match with crisp one-touch passing and superior close control.
Moraes headed the Ukrainian side into a second minute lead after a howler by FC Basel’s Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Nikolic.
He was beaten to the ball by the striker after rushing off his line to meet a Marlos corner-kick.
Nikolic made amends with several good saves in the first half but was powerless in the 22nd minute when Taison capped a lightning Shakhtar break with a deflected shot.
This was after good work by Marlos and a clever dummy by Patrick.
Marcos Antonio rattled the woodwork with a long range effort in the 40th minute, before Shakhtar Donetsk took their foot off the pedal in the second half.
They seemed contented with keeping possession as their rivals chased shadows.
Still, Patrick made it 3-0 with a 75th minute penalty kick after Yannick Marchand fouled livewire Taison in the area.
Right-back Dodo added the fourth in the 89th minute, with the goal awarded after a VAR check for offside.
Substitute Ricky van Wolfswinkel netted a stoppage time consolation for FC Basel from close range, but the Swiss side had little to cheer after being blown away by their opponents.
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