RabiuCrystal Palace 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk – Match Report
Goals either side of halftime saw Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace beat a game Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 on the night, resulting in a 5-2 win on aggregate in the Semi-Final.
An unfortunate deflection from a Munoz ball back across gave the hosts the lead, before Eguinaldo levelled nine minutes later, with Ismaila Sarr killing the tie off shortly after half-time.
This result booked a place in Leipzig for the final, where Palace will play Spanish side Rayo Vallecano.
Story of the match Team News – Crystal Palace: Glasner stuck with the same XI from the first leg in Krakow, bringing back Chris Richards, Tyrick Mitchell, Adam Wharton and Jean-Phillippe Mateta back from the start after the defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Team News – Shakhtar Donetsk
Similarly to Palace, Shakhtar named an unchanged side from the first leg, recalling a number of players back into the XI after their league win against Dynamo Kyiv at the weekend.
Valeriy Bondar and Oleg Ocheretko joined the Brazillian contingent consisting of Pedro Henrique, Eguinaldo, Marlon Gomes, Pedrinho, Alisson and Kaua Elias in returning after league matters.
With a two goal deficit to overturn, it is perhaps no surprise that Shakhtar were the team who started on the front foot.
However, it was Palace who had the ball in the net in the ninth minute after a Jean-Philippe Mateta flick on found Yeremy Pino in behind, with the Spaniard slotting the ball into the bottom corner before VAR cut his celebrations short.
The Ukrainian side once again applied the pressure, without creating too much clear cut.
Alan Shearer Praises Ismaila Sarr’s Impressive Display Against Shakhtar Donetsk
Newcastle legend and Match of the Day presenter Alan Shearer was full of praise for Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr following the Eagles’ Europa Conference League semi-final second leg victory over Shakhtar Donetsk yesterday.
Sarr was instrumental in Palace’s 2-1 win on the night (5-2 on aggregate), scoring a crucial second-half goal that effectively sealed the tie and booked the club’s place in their first-ever major European final. The Senegalese international showed pace, composure, and clinical finishing, adding to his growing reputation this season.
Speaking after the match, Shearer highlighted Sarr’s all-round contribution. “Ismaila Sarr was excellent tonight,” Shearer said. “He’s got that directness that defenders hate, and his goal was well taken. He’s been a big player for Palace in Europe and he delivered again on the big stage.”
The performance capped another strong showing for Oliver Glasner’s side, with Sarr now among the top scorers in the competition. Fans and pundits alike have been impressed by his consistency in high-pressure European matches.
With the final looming, Sarr’s form will be vital as Palace chase silverware. Shearer’s endorsement adds further weight to the growing acclaim for the dynamic attacker.
Arda Turan therefore will have been disappointed to see his team caught out on the break, as Adam Wharton dropped the shoulder before fizzing a shot from distance on target, forcing Riznyk into a save.
The keeper could only parry it into the path of Daniel Munoz, and as the Colombian cut the ball back across it ricocheted off Pedro Henrique into the back of the net.
With Palace 4-1 up on aggregate, their fans could be forgiven for checking their phones for flights to Leipzig.
Shakhtar refused to let this goal effect them though, and they got right back to it with their possession based style with elements of the Brazillian flair in attacking areas.
That flair was on show when they equalised just nine minutes after the Palace goal as the Pedro Henrique lays the ball into Eguinaldo, who stops the ball dead and from a stationary position curls the ball into the top corner, leaving Henderson dumbfounded.
As the game approached half-time, Shakhtar felt as though they should have had a penalty as Mateta appeared to knee the ball onto his own arm defending a corner. Turan’s side will feel particularly aggrieved given the handball precedent that has been set in the last week or two in UEFA competitions.
Moments later, Mateta almost scored a remarkable acroabatic effort, with his scissor kick strike crashing off the woodwork, just inches away from dealing Shakhtar the bitterest of pills to swallow.
After the break, Palace restored their lead on the night after the referee played an advantage for a foul on Kamada, allowing Tyrick Mitchell to curl in a low delivery into the six yard box, with Ismaila Sarr opening out his right foot to direct it home off the post.
This was the ninth Conference League goal scored by the Senegalese international, and his 18th in all competitions.
The second goal on the night appeared to knock the stuffing out of Turan’s side, with the hosts breaking with intent any chance they got.
Mitchell provided the overload in acres of space on the left and had Sarr played the ball ahead of him, he may well have had a better sight on goal, rather than crashing an effort from 20 yards into a defender.
Jorgen Strand Larsen almost got in on the action with 13 minutes left on the clock, seeing his drilled effort saved by the feet of Riznyk.
The result has ensured that Palace will have an opportunity to cap off a remarkable 12 months with a European trophy.
After the magnificent FA Cup win, the fiasco that saw them demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League did little to deter the positivity of Palace fans, who have thoroughly enjoyed their European tour.
A win in Leipzig would also, of course, extend the European tour into next season, and would see Palace play in the Europa League after all.
Player of the Match: Tyrick Mitchell One of the four players rested from the start at the weekend, albeit to be brought on at halftime, Mitchell was a great threat down the left hand side for Palace.
His contribution was epitomised by the magnificent ball in towards Sarr for the second goal, but his willingness to get forward and put balls in the box was a positive sight looking forward to the final.
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