Report & Highlights: Palace on the way to Leipzig for European Final after seeing off Shakhtar

Selhurst Park united in outstanding voice to roar the Eagles – 3-1 up from the first leg – over the line, with a talented Shakhtar team carrying plenty of threat in the first-half, but Daniel Muñoz deservedly putting the more dangerous Palace ahead with a shot which deflected in off Pedro Henrique.

Shakhtar did briefly level on the night through a wonderful finish from Eguinaldo from the edge of the box, but early in the second-half, Ismaïla Sarr put the semi-final beyond all doubt with his ninth Conference League goal of the season from Tyrick Mitchell’s low ball into the box.

As Selhurst Park produced an electric atmosphere to urge throughout, there was only one thing left to sing at that stage: We’re all going to Leipzig.

Summary:

• Palace unchanged from the XI which triumphed 3-1 in the first leg in Krakow.
• Shakhtar are also unchanged.
• 3: Elias wriggles free on the edge of the box but scuffs shot wide, before Eguinaldo stings Henderson’s palms.
• 10 – Disallowed goal: Pino latches onto Mateta’s flick-on and arrows a low effort across the keeper, but the effort is disallowed by VAR for offside.
• 25 – GOAL (4-1 agg.): Muñoz reacts sharply to convert from the angle – via a deflection off Pedro Henrique – after Wharton’s strike is spilled.
• 33 – Goal (4-2 agg.): Eguinaldo loops an effort into the top corner as Shakhtar hit back on the night.
• 34: Sarr flashes a rising effort beyond the far post as Palace look to hit back immediately.
• 43: Shakhtar finish the first-half strongly but Palace hold firm in the face of pressure.
• 44: Mateta hits the post with an audacious overhead kick.
• HT: Palace 1-1 Shakhtar (4-2 on aggregate)
• 52: Henderson kicks away Elias’ effort across goal after confusion in the Palace backline.
• 52 – GOAL (5-2 agg.): Sarr stretches out a long leg to poke Mitchell’s low cross home.
• 62: Mateta latches onto a flicked-on throw but cannot divert goalwards.
• 77: Strand Larsen turns sharply inside the box and is denied by Riznyk.
• 89: Clyne comes on to make 250th Palace appearance amid carnival atmosphere at Selhurst.
• FT: Palace 2-1 Shakhtar (5-2 on aggregate)
• CRYSTAL PALACE REACH THE 2026 UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE FINAL!

They are the kind of occasions Crystal Palace, as a Football Club, are increasingly getting used to.

Within touching distance now of silverware, the Eagles carried a 3-1 first-leg lead into the decisive second at Selhurst Park – and the mixture of big-match tension and excitement was palpable in the air before kick-off.

Both teams named unchanged starting XIs from the side which played out an entertaining, end-to-end match at the Henryk Reyman Municipal Stadium last Thursday – and both managers noted, in their respective pre-match press conferences, they expected their opposite number to attack more openly.

So the case proved from the off, as Shakhtar – looking to overturn that two-goal deficit – began brightly. The Ukrainian side, who are likely to be playing UEFA Champions League football through their seemingly inevitable league victory in a few months, attacked sharply from the off.

Within three minutes, Kaua Elias shifted his feet well on the edge of the box, yet spurned a decent shooting opportunity with a scuffed finish. Moments later, a deflected pass put Eguinaldo in on goal, but the forward – arcing his run to meet the ball – could only sting the palms of Dean Henderson.

But as the case proved the previous week, Palace’s counter-attacking cut and thrust is difficult for any team to contain, and the Eagles thought they had the lead on the 10-minute mark.

It was a more direct attack on this occasion as Chris Richards played it forward, Jean-Philippe Mateta flicked on and Yéremy Pino raced through to arrow a brilliant low finish beyond the diving Dmytro Riznyk in front of an ecstatic Holmesdale.

The joy was cut short moments later, as VAR ruled the Spaniard to be offside in the build-up.

The opening goal was always set to be of vital importance, and a 15-minute spell ensued where neither side wished to mis-step.

Shakhtar had possession on their side, but Palace had threat – and after a few pull-backs narrowly missed their targets, the Eagles finally took the lead on the night on the 25 minutes.

The move was kick-started by Adam Wharton spraying the ball out to Muñoz, who worked it back to the England international.

His powerful effort from distance was too hot for Dmytro Riznyk to handle – and Muñoz, firing the rebound goalwards from a tight angle, was the beneficiary of some spin provided via a deflection off Pedro Henrique. In the tie, Palace were now three goals to the good.

But Shakhtar had proven from the first leg that they were not shy of threat themselves – and duly equalised on the night eight minutes later.

The goal was admittedly a lovely finish from Eguinaldo, collecting a ball into feet inside the box, turning well and looping a high effort into the top corner – a finish where placement meant more than power, leaving Henderson with no chance.

Palace looked to respond immediately. Joint-top scorer in the competition at that point, with eight goals, Ismaïla Sarr smashed a shot across the face of goal from a tight angle – but wide.

The first-half ended with a succession of Shakhtar attacks and corners, but as they did in Krakow, the likes of Chris Richards, Jaydee Canvot and Maxence Lacroix made important interventions to limit the visitors’ shots on goal.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, almost a moment of genius: Sarr clipped a cross in and Jean-Philippe Mateta produced an audacious overhead kick, the ball unfortunately rattling against the outside of the post.

Two goals to the good at half-time – Palace were potentially just 45 minutes away from Leipzig, and belief continued to ring around the ground.

The early stages of the second-half picked up the general pattern of the tie, as Shakhtar had their moments – but Palace ultimately got the goals.

Mere moments after confusion in the Eagles’ backline allowed Elias the chance to shoot across goal – Henderson reacting well to kick away – Palace retook the lead on the night.

The goal owed much to another precise dribble from Daichi Kamada in midfield, who slipped the ball to Tyrick Mitchell.

His low ball into the box was diverted across goal – and in via the inside of the far post –  on the stretch by Sarr, who moved out to nine goals in the UEFA Conference League this season – and is more than likely now to finish as the competition’s top scorer.

Three-goal lead restored, and the sting appeared to dissipate from the undoubtedly talented Shakhtar side, with Selhurst in fine voice and cycling through the full repertoire of its songbook with gusto. “We’re going to Germany!” the Holmesdale roared – nobody, at that stage, doubted it.

The Eagles enjoyed a further opportunity to extend their lead 10 minutes later as Mitchell’s effort was blocked, giving Richards the chance to throw it long. Launch it he did, and a Shakhtar head flicked on at the near post – but Mateta, leaning back to meet it, could not divert beneath the crossbar.

That was the Frenchman’s last contribution to the game as Jørgen Strand Larsen, provider of the clincher in Krakow last week, came on to replace him with a quarter of the game remaining.

With Shakhtar’s chances drying up and Palace managing the second-half professionally, and Selhurst at its very best, it was Strand Larsen who would go closest in the final chapter of the game.

The Norway forward was always on the move and, with 13 minutes left, latched onto a Muñoz ball on the outside and turned his marker sharply. With not much of the goal to aim for, his low shot was kicked away by Riznyk.

There was one final milestone to cheer in the 89th minute, as Nathaniel Clyne came on off the bench to make his 250th appearance for the club – in starkly different circumstances to the Academy graduate’s first back in 2009.

With Oliver Glasner shaking his opposite number Arda Turan’s hand in the final seconds, before enjoying a minute of applause from around the ground even before the full-time whistle had sounded. Palace were there.

A night for the ages.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Canvot, Muñoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell, Sarr, Pino (Johnson, 78), Mateta (Strand Larsen, 66).

Subs: Benítez (GK), Matthews (GK), Riad, Clyne, Cardines, Rodney, Hughes, Devenny, Lerma.

Shakhtar Donetsk: Riznyk (GK), Bondar, Marlon, Eguinaldo, Pedrinho, Pedro Henrique, Vinicius (Ghram, 27), Kaua Elias (Traore, 56), Matviienko, Ocheretko, Alisson (Isaque, HT).

Subs: Tvardovskyi (GK), Azarov, Kryskiv, Newerton, Bondarenko, Nazaryna, Lucas, Prosper, Meirelles.

As It Happened