What's next for Fulham? Yes, Juventus..
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Shakhtar Donetsk 1 Fulham 1: Roy Hodgson's heroes rewarded with Juventus clash
Fulham pulled off their greatest result in European competition last night to set up a last-16 clash with the mighty Juventus.
However, their success was marred by an injury-time red card for Danny Murphy, who was judged to have kicked out at right back Darijo Srna by the corner flag.
The midfielder will miss at least the first leg against the Italian giants, who later in the evening saw off Ajax thanks to a goalless draw which earned a 2-1 aggregate win.
Joy: Brede Hangeland (left) celebrates with his Fulham team-mates
Roy Hodgson hailed Shakhtar as the best side he had faced in 35 years of management, but his troops thwarted the UEFA Cup holders thanks to stunning defensive performances from centre-half Brede Hangeland and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
Hangeland was also the hero at the other end, heading a 33rd-minute goal against the run of play that Shakhtar never quite recovered from.
Jadson pulled one back with 21 minutes to play, but Fulham held on, restricting the home side to mostly long-range efforts and taking advantage of a 2-1 lead from the first leg.
Brave: Brede Hangeland (top left) scores
But Bobby Zamora, who pushed his England claims with a hard-working performance as an often isolated lone striker, may have lost his chance of being called up by Fabio Capello by aggravating an achilles injury that forced him off with 18 minutes to play.
'This Shakhtar team is as good as any team I have come across in 35 years, and perhaps over two games, they may feel they deserved to win,' said Hodgson.
It has been a wonderful night for the club. Shakhtar showed what a good team they are; their ability to pass and keep the ball is as good as I've seen.
'Most of the testing came from long shots, which was a credit to us. The only thing that marred the evening was the sending-off.'
Fulham will not appeal the decision, but the normally placid Hodgson did lose his rag after a hard challenge minutes before left Damien Duff floored.
Ilsinho was booked and Hodgson appeared to lay into the wrong man - impressive substitute Douglas Costa - for which he apologised.
This was supposed to have been a night when a Shakhtar victory followed Donetsk celebrating the inauguration of local man Viktor Yanukovych as the country's president.
A pre-match poll on the club's website had asked not if Shakhtar would win, but by which scenario.
The hard yards: Bobby Zamora battles with the Shakhtar defence
Both clubs put out the same line-ups as in the first legs and Shakhtar started at a frantic pace. Neither of Fulham's English left backs could stake their claim to replace Wayne Bridge in Fabio Capello's thoughts, with Paul Konchesky still out with an ankle injury and on-loan Nicky Shorey not part of the UEFA squad.
While they could have been accused of trying to walk the ball into the net a week before, this time they set about peppering Schwarzer's goal from distance as soon as they got sight.
MATCH FACTS
SHAKHTAR DONETSK (4-2-3-1):
Pyatov 5; Srna 6, Kucher 6, Rakitskiy 5,
Rat 5; Hubschman 6 (Kravchenko 46min, 6) Fernandinho 6; Ilsinho 7, Jadson 7, Willian 7 (Douglas Costa 53, 7); Luiz Adriano 5 (Gladkiy 76). Booked: Ilsinho.FULHAM (4-4-1-1): Schwarzer 8; Baird 6,
Hughes, 6 Hangeland 8, Kelly 6; Duff 7,
Murphy 6, Etuhu 5, Davies 5 (Riise 89);
Gera 5; Zamora 7 (Elm 72, 6).
Booked: Gera. Sent off: Murphy.Man of the match: Mark Schwarzer.
Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen (Nor).
By half an hour in, they had racked up 11 shots and nine corners, but it was Fulham who took the lead with their first meaningful attack.
Zamora won a free-kick down the right, Murphy crossed it in and Hangeland nodded in only his third Fulham goal from eight yards.
The crowd of almost 50,000 were silenced and Shakhtar struggled to retain their composure, seeming to get in their way and firing increasingly poor long-range efforts as the break approached.
The Ukrainians were better after boss Mircea Lucescu had got at them, but Fulham's defence - Hangeland in particular - blocked everything thrown at them Shakhtar improved with the introduction of Douglas Costa, who fashioned the equaliser by skinning Stephen Kelly and cutting it back from the right for Jadson to score from 10 yards.
But the winner never came. Lucescu cried conspiracy, claiming the Norwegian officials embraced with their Fulham compatriots at the end. Fulham deserved their glory, though.
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Wow at Fulham
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david vs the goliath.