CNN
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For 12-year-old Dmytro Keda, after the worst few weeks possible, Thursday night was a dream come true.
Keda, who fled his hometown of Mariupol in Ukraine after spending three weeks holed up as Russian forces bombarded town, got here on as a last-minute substitute in Shakhtar Donetsk’s charity pleasant match towards Poland’s Lechia Gdańsk.
And in a touching scene, Keda – having exchanged a couple of passes along with his Shakhtar teammates after approaching – was put by way of on aim, slotting house earlier than being mobbed in celebration by gamers from each groups.
Keda was lifted aloft in celebration, along with his aim marking the distinction in a 3-2 victory for the Ukrainian facet.
Shakhtar’s head coach Roberto De Zerbi defined after the match that the choice to let Keda come on and rating was “spontaneous.”
The Ukrainian membership’s recreation towards Lechia Gdańsk comes as a part of the membership’s ‘World Tour for Peace’ which includes enjoying quite a lot of groups – together with Olympiacos, Fenerbahçe and Hajduk Cut up – in a collection of charity video games.
As of April 7, over 1.4 billion Ukrainian hryvnia ($47.2 million) had been donated by the muse arrange by Shakhtar proprietor Rinat Akhmetov and the group to “assist Ukraine and Ukrainians throughout the 40 days of the conflict.”
“This quantity contains humanitarian help to civilians, in addition to help to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Territorial Defence power in dozens of cities and cities,” a press release on the membership web site learn.
Earlier than Thursday’s recreation on the Polsat Plus Area, the Ukrainian nationwide anthem was performed whereas a minute of silence was noticed for the victims of the conflict.
Gamers from each groups wore shirts with the message “Cease conflict” emblazoned on the entrance, with the Shakhtar shirts that includes the names of Ukrainian cities affected by the conflict.
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De Zerbi stated after the victory within the pleasant match that “soccer is unquestionably not paramount for us.”
“We at the moment journey round Europe as friends and are grateful to everybody who offers us the chance to play in numerous cities,” the Italian supervisor stated.
“Immediately, we’re in Poland which is nearer to Ukraine. Due to this fact, after all, it was extra emotional. We will say that the 2 peoples are very comparable, and that’s why individuals within the stands have been extra emotional.”
