JERUSALEM, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv lost 2-0 at home to Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk in their UEFA Europa League round of 32 first leg match on Thursday evening.

The match was played behind closed doors at Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa, south of the coastal city of Tel Aviv.

Shakhtar almost scored in the 23rd minute, but Maccabi goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum saved a dangerous shot by forward Junior Moraes.

Eight minutes later, however, Shakhtar's Brazilian midfielder Alan Patrick found the net, following an accurate pass by Mykola Matviienko.

Maccabi appealed for a penalty in the 39th minute after Aleksandar Pesic tumbled in the area, but referee Francois Letexier deemed Serhiy Kryvtsov's challenge to be a legal one.

Maccabi had chances to equalize in the closing stages, but goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin saved Nick Blackman's shot and Luis Hernandez's header.

Shakhtar's Brazilian forward Tete doubled the score in the 93rd minute, latching onto a pass by his compatriot Fernando.

The second leg will be played next Thursday in Kiev, while the round of 16 draw will take place the following day in Nyon, Switzerland. Enditem

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