Manchester City target Fred scored a sublime second-half free-kick as Shakhtar Donetsk overturned a half-time deficit to take a narrow first-leg lead in their Champions League knockout tie with Roma.
Trailing 1-0 at half-time thanks to Cengiz Under's fourth goal in as many games, the Ukrainians delivered a much-improved display after the break to turn proceedings on their head.
Former Newcastle striker Facundo Ferreyra slid home to restore parity on 52 minutes, before Fred curled in a glorious free-kick to grant his side a narrow advantage ahead of next month's return game.
Here's what we learned from the clash at the Donbass Arena.
Blues target Fonseca masterminds Shakhtar comeback
Given the continued speculation linking Shakhtar coach Paulo Fonseca with a summer move to Goodison Park, Everton fans will no doubt have spurned the screening of Manchester United's trip to Sevilla en masse in order to take a look at their prospective new manager.
So what, if anything, will those tuning in have learned?
With bottom lines achieved via qualification from a group also containing Manchester City and Napoli, and expectations raised by a better-than-expected showing in the competition, this was always going to be an uphill struggle for Fonseca against a vibrant, in-form Roma side. Where the Italians can boast top marksman Edin Dzeko among their ranks, Fonseca has been left to unearth diamonds and turn players such as equalising goalscorer Facundo Ferreyra- a flop at Newcastle- into bona fide Champions League talents.
And in the main, do that he has. Once again, the Portuguese gave a tantalising glimpse of his potential- this time to come up trumps against the Serie A outfit. Deploying a fluid 4-2-3-1 that aims to provide quick ball to a trio of exciting Brazilian attacking midfielders, Fonseca's Shakhtar took the game to their illustrious oppostion, regularly punching holes down the left-hand side during the opening stages.
Stylistically, it was particularly pleasing on the eye, but there was substance, too. This was not possession for possession's sake; rather a balanced approach that also sees Fonseca's men play the ball quickly into channels and isolate defenders one-on-one.
What was most impressive, though, was the way in which the Ukrainians responded to going behind. Buoyed by whatever was said at half-time by their coach, Shakhtar roared out of the traps in the second-half, plugging the same weaknesses in the Roma defence with improved composure. A smart tactical blueprint from Fonseca, who now adds Roma to his growing list of scalps.
It remains to be seen if his expansive style could work with the current group of Everton players- there would, in truth, probably be the need for a major upheaval of the playing staff if he were indeed to arrive- but if the Blues are looking for a coach with European experience, they could do far worse than appointing Fonseca as Allardyce's replacement.
Roma may finally have found their Salah replacement
With each passing week, the reported £36.9m Liverpool paid to Roma for Mohamed Salah is looking more and more like a bargain.
A key asset for the Giallorossi last time around, the Egyptian has since gone from strength to strength under Jurgen Klopp, developing into one of the Premier League's top talents at Anfield.
Losing a player of that ability was always going to be tough- and for much of the early part of the season, Roma appeared to have little in the way of a Plan B. Various combinations, including the highly-rated Czech forward Patrik Schick, were tried to little avail.
A solution, though, may well have been under their noses all the while. Without a goal before the winter break, summer signing Cengiz Under has now netted four in four, with this evening's opener arguably the most important of the lot.
A strong runner on the right, and possessing a ferocious left-foot, it's true that the Turk remains rough around the edges. But the speed of Under's development- it must be remembered that this is still a 20-year-old- coupled with the way he linked with lone striker Edin Dzeko for tonight's goal, conjured memories of the successful partnership forged between the Bosnian and Salah last season.
Replacing Salah remains an unenviable task, but in the supremely talented Under, Roma may well have found just the man.
Fred's moment of magic should set City pulses racing
It was one of the sagas of the January transfer window. After dazzling in the Champions League this season, Shakhtar midfielder Fred's on-off move to Manchester City rumbled on until the final day of the window.
Despite the failed talks, there reportedly remains confidence in some quarters that a deal will eventually be done over this summer. Fred, it seems, may well have outgrown the Ukrainian giants.
Shakhtar, however, will be thankfful not just of the Brazilian's stay of execution, but also his latest stellar performance in orange and black. For after a dominant display in central midfield and a stunning free-kick to win the game for the hosts, City, now, will no doubt be forced to fork out an even greater sum than previously discussed.
Adept at covering ground and intelligent in possession, the 24-year-old looks every inch a Pep Guardiola player. Indeed, given Fonseca's Pep-lite tactical approach that privileges high-tempo pressing and ball possession, the Brazilian would surely face a seamless transition into the heart of the City midfield next season.
The difference-maker here, it may not be long until Premier League audiences see Fred replicating matchwinning performance on a stage much closer to home.
