BATE Borisov 0 : 7 FC Shakhtar Donetsk - Five-star Adriano boosts Shakhtar

Posted Wednesday, October 22, 2014 by PA

Luiz Adriano became only the second player after Lionel Messi to score five goals in a Champions League match as Shakhtar Donetsk thrashed BATE Borisov 7-0 at the Borisov Arena.

On a night when numerous records tumbled, Shakhtar became the first side ever in the Champions League to score six before half-time as Alex Teixeira, Luiz Adriano and Douglas Costa ruthlessly exposed their haphazard hosts.

Brazilian Luiz Adriano's 12-minute hat-trick was also the third-fastest in the competition's history and he moved out on his own as the first man to ever score four goals in the first 45 minutes of a Champions League match.

With the win comfortably secured, Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu shuffled his pack at the break and it disrupted the free-flowing scoring of his side, but Luiz Adriano was still not done and added a late penalty to take his already bountiful tally to five.

Shakhtar remain second in Group H, two points behind Porto, while BATE also stay third despite now having a goal difference of minus 12.

Before the game had time to settle into any sort of rhythm BATE keeper Syarhey Chernik was picking the ball out of his net - and that set the tone.

Shakhtar's Taison did brilliantly to hold up the ball, spot the run of Alex Teixeira and slide a ball down the side of the hosts' ragged defence.

The 24-year-old Brazilian showed great strength to first muscle his way through and stay on his feet, before remaining calm to take it round the on-rushing Chernik and stroke into an empty net from about 16 yards out.

It looked like being a case of deja vu 15 minutes later, but this time Chernik brought down Teixeira as he attempted to take it round him for a second time.

Referee Ivan Bebek pointed to the spot and rather leniently only showed Chernik a yellow card for his despairing diving tackle.

Luiz Adriano stepped up to take the penalty and he slotted it home into the bottom left corner, even though Chernik dived the right way, to start what would turn into a memorable evening for him.

The first two strikes were the result of some great play from the visitors, but after they realised how poor their opponents were they created an avalanche of goals without really moving out of second gear.

Things started to get desperate for BATE, who were beaten 6-0 by Porto in their opening Group H match, 10 minutes before the break when Douglas Costa added a third in the face of comical defending, before Luiz Adriano notched his second of the evening two minutes later.

At that point BATE coach Aleksandr Yermakovich would have just been looking to get his side in half-time to regroup, but Luiz Adriano found time to add two more poacher's finishes to put his name into the record books.

Lucescu made three changes at the break, which offered the hosts some respite, but when Luiz Adriano was fouled inside the box 10 minutes from time he stepped up to convert his second penalty, capping a magnificent night for his side.