Shakhtar Donetsk 0-0 Rijeka Player Ratings: Martin Zlomislic 8.5/10 Rated as Goalkeeping Heroics Secure a Stalemate

A tense, tactical affair in the Europa Conference League saw Shakhtar Donetsk and Rijeka fight to a goalless draw. This was a true war of attrition. It was a match defined more by defensive rigidity than attacking flair. This was a classic case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, though the force wasn't quite unstoppable today.

Shakhtar Donetsk controlled the tempo for large periods. They dominated possession and peppered the opposition goal with shots. But they just couldn't find a way past a truly inspired goalkeeper. The game's narrative was unfortunately shaped early on by an injury to Marlon Gomes, forcing an early substitution that seemed to disrupt Shakhtar's rhythm.

What stood out to us was how the game descended into a scrappy battle. Fouls were frequent, breaking up any potential for flowing football. The final result, as seen in the match details, felt inevitable as Rijeka's defence, led by their heroic keeper, simply refused to yield. It was a point earned for the visitors and two points dropped for the hosts. Here are Sportsdunia's Shakhtar Donetsk vs Rijeka player ratings.

Shakhtar Donetsk Player Ratings vs Rijeka

Check out the Shakhtar Donetsk player ratings for the Shakhtar Donetsk vs Rijeka fixture.

Goalkeeper

Kiril Fesyun - 6.5: Had a very quiet day at the office, which he'll be thankful for. He only had to make one save all game. From our perspective, his distribution was decent enough, but an error that led to a shot takes the shine off an otherwise untroubled performance. Largely a spectator.

Defenders

Vinícius Tobias - 7.5: A really solid performance from the fullback. He was strong in the tackle, winning most of his duels and showing great energy to get up and down the flank. He even chipped in with a key pass. We noticed his confidence on the ball throughout the game.

Valeriy Bondar - 7.0: Extremely tidy in possession, boasting a 96% pass accuracy. He was composed and read the game well, making several important clearances and tackles. The yellow card was a blemish, but defensively he was very sound and almost impossible to get past.

Pedro Henrique - 7.5: What stood out to us was his creativity from a defensive position. Creating three chances is exceptional for a defender. He was a constant outlet, driving forward and trying to force the issue with incisive passing and crosses. A very impressive display.

Mykola Matvienko - 7.0: The captain led by example with his distribution, constantly trying to switch play with long balls. He was composed and assured at the back, though he wasn't tested a great deal. A typical steady performance from the experienced defender.

Midfielders

Yegor Nazaryna - 6.5: A bit of a mixed bag from Nazaryna. He worked tirelessly, recovering the ball seven times and getting into good positions. However his final ball and shooting were lacking. He looked frustrated at times with his own lack of quality in the final third.

Oleg Ocheretko - 7.0: Kept the midfield ticking over nicely. He was tenacious, winning the majority of his duels and showing good discipline. He didn't offer a huge attacking threat, but he provided a solid platform for the more creative players to build from.

Pedrinho - 7.0: Always looked to get on the ball and make things happen. He was the link between midfield and attack for much of the game, creating one good chance and keeping possession well under pressure. His influence faded slightly before he was substituted.

Newerton - 6.5: Full of energy and running but ultimately lacked the end product. His high pass completion shows he was tidy, but he also lost the ball far too often in dangerous areas. We felt he needed to show more composure when it mattered.

Marlon Gomes - N/A: Cruelly forced off with an injury after just 12 minutes. There was simply not enough time to give him a fair rating.

Forwards

Eguinaldo - 7.5: Shakhtar's most potent threat by a mile. He will be wondering how he didn't score. With four shots, three of which were on target, he constantly troubled the Rijeka defence. His only downside was being caught offside a couple of times, showing a little too much eagerness.

Substitutes

Dmytro Kryskiv - N/A: Came on too late to make an impact.

Isaque - N/A: A late cameo with no time to influence the game.

Luca Meirelles - N/A: Introduced late on but couldn't change the outcome.

Manager

A. Turan - 6.5: His team completely dominated the match in terms of stats but couldn't find the breakthrough. The early injury to Gomes was unlucky, but his attack lacked the clinical edge needed to win the game. He'll be disappointed not to have secured all three points at home.

Rijeka Player Ratings vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Check out the Rijeka player ratings for the Shakhtar Donetsk vs Rijeka fixture.

Goalkeeper

Martin Zlomislic - 8.5: The clear man of the match. An absolutely heroic performance. He made five saves, several of which were top-class stops to deny what looked like certain goals. He commanded his box with authority and was the single biggest reason Rijeka left with a point. We were genuinely stunned by his reflexes.

Defenders

Ante Orec - 5.5: A really difficult game for the defender. He struggled to contain Shakhtar's attacks down his flank, committed several fouls and picked up a deserved yellow card. It was no surprise to see him substituted after an hour.

Stjepan Radeljic - 6.5: He made a massive seven clearances, which tells the story of his match. He was constantly under pressure and threw his body on the line. However, he also looked clumsy in the challenge, earning a yellow card for a poor tackle.

Anel Husic - 7.0: A very composed and solid partner to Radeljic. He was much tidier on the ball and won all of his tackles. A quiet but extremely effective performance, he was a steadying presence in a chaotic defensive effort.

Mladen Devetak - 6.0: A frustrating night for the fullback. He lost possession an alarming 19 times and struggled to cope with the pressure. He defended his box with numbers but offered very little quality going forward or in one-on-one situations.

Midfielders

Merveil Ndockyt - 6.0: He worked hard but was largely ineffective. What stood out was his missed big chance which could have won his team the game against the run of play. A yellow card for a cynical foul summed up a frustrating evening for him.

Tiago Dantas - 6.5: Kept the ball well when he had it, showing good composure in a frantic midfield battle. However, he didn't offer much protection to his defence or contribute to attacks. A tidy but ultimately passive performance.

Samuele Vignato - 6.5: A 100% pass accuracy is an incredible stat, but it didn't translate into meaningful attacks. He was neat and tidy but played it too safe. He was substituted after 66 minutes having made little real impact on the game.

Luka Menalo - 6.0: From our perspective, he was a ghost for most of his time on the pitch, with just 12 touches. His one saving grace was creating a big chance, showing a glimpse of the quality he possesses, but it wasn't nearly enough.

Forwards

Toni Fruk - 5.5: A very disappointing outing. He was on the periphery of the game, lost possession frequently, and offered no threat. He was simply outmuscled and outplayed before being substituted. One of the poorest performers on the pitch.

Daniel Adu-Adjei - 6.0: Had a thankless task leading the line on his own. He battled hard but was isolated and lost most of his physical duels. He managed one shot off target but was starved of any real service. A tough night's work.

Substitutes

Justas Lasickas - 6.5: Came on and provided more defensive stability than Orec.

Bruno Bogojevic - 6.0: Added fresh legs but didn't change the game.

Simun Butic - 6.0: Worked hard but had little involvement.

Niko Jankovic - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Duje Cop - N/A: A late appearance with no impact.

Manager

V. Sánchez del Amo - 7.5: He will be absolutely delighted. His game plan worked to perfection. He set his team up to be stubborn, organised, and hard to break down, and they executed it brilliantly. A fantastic away point earned through discipline and a bit of goalkeeping magic.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Martin Zlomislic