Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Real Madrid: Score, Reaction from 2015 Champions League

Real Madrid didn't quite ease the pressure on manager Rafa Benitez despite beating Shakhtar Donetsk 4-3 at Arena Lviv on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League. Two goals for Cristiano Ronaldo plus strikes from Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal put Madrid four up.   

But a late Alex Teixeira brace and a smart finish from substitute striker Dentinho ensured Madrid conceded for the first time in this season's tournament and had to survive a nervy finish.

Real hung on to ensure they enter the draw for the last 16 as Group A winners. But this wasn't the ideal response to the 4-0 hammering the club received from Barcelona in the first Clasico of this La Liga season.

Paris Saint-Germain's win in Malmo had ensured Shakhtar couldn't qualify for the knockout phase regardless of this result. The UEFA Europa League likely beckons for the Ukrainian side that won that competition in its guise as the UEFA Cup back in 2009. Donetsk will be a force if they enter Europe's second-tier tournament. 

The team news saw Kiko Casilla come into goal in place of Keylor Navas. Meanwhile, Benitez wisely brought back midfield anchorman Casemiro after his team was overrun in the middle by Barca. The competition's official Twitter feed provided Real's starting XI:

As usual, Shakhtar's side was highlighted by the brilliant Teixeira. He was tasked with supporting free-scoring striker Oleksandr Gladkiy:

Former Madrid player Emilio Butragueno insisted Benitez had refreshed his side in response to the humiliation suffered against Barca in domestic action, according to ESPN's Dermot Corrigan:

Corrigan also noted a subtle tactical shift involving Madrid's main man and Benitez's formation of choice:

Playing through the middle, it took less than two minutes for Ronaldo to be presented with a great chance. Fine work from Croatian playmakers Mateo Kovacic and Modric teed up the Portuguese powerhouse. Yet inexplicably, Madrid's No. 7 screwed his shot wide.

But he didn't have to wait long to open his account. A serene spell of steady but aimless Shakhtar possession was interrupted when Modric fed Bale. Some nice skill and electric pace positioned the Welshman to cross for Ronaldo to nod into an empty net.

The goal marked a scoring milestone for Los Blancos' talisman in attack, according to OptaJose:

While the Champions League Twitter feed updated the 30-year-old's awesome tally in this tournament:

Bale was certainly in the mood. He jetted down the flank again to deliver for Ronaldo. But the latter's header was straight at the 'keeper. 

Madrid stayed compact in shape, content to release their pace out wide every time they robbed possession. Modric was neat and tidy thanks to the platform Casemiro's presence provided.

But it was Bale running Shakhtar ragged. Holding midfielder Taras Stepanenko was booked for holding the fleet-footed ex-Tottenham Hotspur match-winner back.

JANEK SKARZYNSKI/Getty Images

A brief blow for Madrid occurred when French centre-back Raphael Varane was withdrawn with an apparent hamstring issue. Danilo came on to play left-back, while Nacho slid inside, as Real quickly reshuffled.

As the first half drew to a close, Teixeira drew a save from Casilla before Gladkiy headed wide from a corner.

A breathtaking Madrid counter-attack livened up the start of the second half. Casemiro, superb all night, lifted a precise ball over to the right for Ronaldo. He held it up and met the buccaneering run from deep by Modric with a smart reverse pass the playmaker confidently slotted home.

Moments later, Los Merengues killed things off. More good work by Ronaldo on the right saw him slip a pass into the path of right-back Carvajal. The defender cut in and scooped a left-footed shot into the opposite corner of the net.

Corrigan took the opportunity to detail how Ronaldo was thriving through the middle, a position he's not always looked comfortable in since Benitez arrived:

It was a night of unlikely goalscorers for the visitors:

Bale pulled back for Ronaldo again just before the 70-minute mark. It took two attempts, but he buried the chance at the rebound.

Bale then made way for Karim Benzema. Earlier, Modric had been replaced by cerebral pass-master Toni Kroos. This is when things unravelled for the visitors.

Substitute attacking midfielder Taison won a soft penalty for the hosts that Teixeira tucked just beyond Casilla. More consolation came when Dentinho converted a loose ball amid a scramble from a corner.

A suddenly rampant Shakhtar struck again through Teixeira. Unbelievably, Madrid had crumbled from ruthless professionalism to jittery surrender.

Post-Match Reaction

Benitez was naturally keen to focus more on the positives of his team's display rather than the late collapse. He made sure to lead with an endorsement of Madrid's early 4-0 dominance, according to AS:

Keeping the narrative focused on the post-Barca reaction is a smart move from Benitez. He knows he needs to cast a positive light on this result and try as best he can to mask another unconvincing performance.

Benitez has continued to play down the comeback, while talking up the response:

Try as he might though, his critics won't see much heroism in nearly blowing a four-goal lead, even though rebellious star pupil Ronaldo actually managed to sound happy:

This was far from the perfect tonic for Benitez after humiliation in the league. He got a stellar performance from Ronaldo in a position the sulky star has not always warmed to. But those late wobbles don't say much for the concentration of his players when it comes to keeping shape and protecting a result.

Benitez and his cautious tactics are always easy targets for criticism, even though he's often excelled in tournament football. With a still-miserly defence and Ronaldo back on song, a Benitez-led Madrid can be a major contender to win this season's competition.

But they've got to improve on uneven displays like this.