After winning the first leg 2-1 in neutral Warsaw, Shakhtar traveled to France on February 23, 2023. The atmosphere at Roazhon Park was electric as Rennes fought to overturn the deficit.
The decisive moment fell to 18-year-old Kevin Kelsy, making his debut for Shakhtar. He calmly converted the final penalty to win the shootout 5-4, sparking emotional celebrations for a team playing for a war-torn nation. Coach Igor Jovićević later dedicated the victory to Ukraine, stating, "We died on the pitch... this victory is a reward for our work". Rennes 2-1 Shakhtar (Feb 23, 2023) Game Analysis - ESPN Szachtar - Rennes
The story of "Szachtar vs. Rennes" reached its dramatic peak in the , where the Ukrainian "Miners" (Shakhtar Donetsk) secured a miraculous advancement despite playing in exile and losing their star player, Mykhailo Mudryk, to Chelsea just weeks earlier . The Battle of Roazhon Park After winning the first leg 2-1 in neutral
Karl Toko Ekambi opened the scoring for Rennes in the 52nd minute. In extra time, Ibrahim Salah scored in the 106th minute, putting Rennes 2-0 up (3-2 on aggregate) and seemingly ending Shakhtar's journey. He calmly converted the final penalty to win