Avispa Fukuoka and Shakhtar Donetsk played out a 2-2 draw in a charity match at Tokyo’s National Stadium on Monday in front of over 600 war-hit Ukrainian evacuees, with the proceeds directed to the country’s reconstruction.
The game was arranged by the majority shareholder of J-League Cup champions Fukuoka — the Apaman real estate brokerage group, which has been supporting the evacuees.
More than 18,000 watched the match at the venue where both sets of players entered the pitch draped in Ukrainian flags.
“(It was) a long trip, little tired of course but very happy to play this game … it’s beautiful to see lots of people in the stand,” Shakhtar manager Marino Pusic said after his team had traveled following a defeat at Porto on Wednesday that saw them narrowly miss out on a place in the Champions League knockout stage.
The visitors led in the seventh minute when forward Danylo Sikan headed in a right-wing cross, only for Fukuoka defender Daiki Miya to pull the sides level in the 34th minute with a header of his own.
Avispa captain Takeshi Kanamori swept a left-footed effort low into the far corner three minutes later, but Shakhtar leveled in the 53rd minute when Marian Shved cut in from the right and curled home.
“I’d like to send lots of gratitude to Fukuoka … (and) thanks so much for our Ukrainian people, they supported us very well,” Shakhtar captain Taras Stepanenko said.
Kanamori hoped the match “serves as an opportunity to think about the situation in Ukraine, even by a little bit,” adding, “I could tell the high level Shakhtar were playing the game at … we’re grateful they came to Japan despite their challenging physical condition.”