
UEFA Europa Conference League
7:00 p.mMay 7, 2026
semi-finals

Crystal Palace*2 – 1
VAT:(1-1)
Added:(5-2)

Shakhtar DonetskSelhurst Park
Referee: Alejandro Hernández, Spain


Crystal Palace


Shakhtar Donetsk
Turn off the spoiler to see match stats
1.35
Expected Goals (xG)
1.02
-0.44
Prevented goals
-0.44
Passing by
208 (77%)
Accurate passes
469 (91%)
Turn off the spoiler to see the events of the match
1
G
Dean Henderson (C)
7.2
23
d
Jaydee Canvot
6.6
5
d
Maxence Lacroix
6.2
26
d
Chris Richards
6.9
M
Tyrick Mitchell
18
M
Daichi Kamada
6.9
20
M
Adam Wharton
7.5
2
M
Daniel Muñoz
6.9
10
F
Jeremy Pino
7.2
14
F
Jean-Philippe Mateta
7.2
F
Ismaila Sarr
52′
31
G
Dmytro Riznyk
8.2
d
Peter Henry
25′
22
d
Mykola Matvienko (C)
7.7
d
Valerii Bondar
17
d
Vinicius Tobias
6.2
27
M
Oleg Ocheretko
6.2
6
M
Marlon Gomez
6.2
10
M
Pedrino
6.7
30
M
Alisson Santana
6.3
19
F
Kauã Elias
6.3

UEFA Europa Conference League Classification – UEFA Conference League
Qualification/Relegation
- Promotion – League Conference (Play Off: Round of 16)
- Promotion – League Conference (Play Off: 1/16 final)
Crystal Palace secured a 2-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park in the UEFA Europa Conference League, Ismaïla Sarr’s second-half goal proving decisive after an own goal and a Palace goal had dominated the first half.
Crystal Palace welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to South London on May 7, 2026, in a crucial Europa League clash. Both teams arrived looking for their first win of the competition. Palace were looking to build on recent form, while Shakhtar were looking to make an impact on European football.
The game burst into life in the 25th minute when an unfortunate moment gave Palace the lead. Pavlo Henrique turned the ball into his own net, giving Palace an unexpected lead. The home crowd roared their approval as Palace took control of the contest.
Palace doubled their lead just nine minutes later in the 34th minute. Eguinaldo struck with precision, firing past the Shakhtar goalkeeper to make it 2-0. The Ukrainian side looked bewildered as Palace dominated the opening period.
However, Shakhtar refused to give up. The visitors created chances in the first half despite falling behind. They controlled possession with 65 percent of the ball, but struggled to convert their chances into goals.
In the second half, Shakhtar came out with renewed purpose. They pushed forward aggressively, looking for a way to get back into the contest. Palace sat deeper, looking to protect their advantage on the counter-attack.
In the 52nd minute, Sarr extended Palace’s lead with a clinical finish. The winger picked up a loose ball and fired it past goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk. Palace seemed to have taken full control of the game with a 3-0 lead.
Shakhtar pulled back but couldn’t find an equaliser. Despite dominating possession and creating 16 shots in total, they managed just one goal. The home team’s defensive organization held firm under sustained pressure.
The statistics told an interesting story. Palace registered 11 shots in total with 5 on target. Shakhtar, meanwhile, generated 16 shots but only 5 found the goal. Riznyk made four key saves to keep Shakhtar competitive.
Palace’s xG of 1.35 reflected their clinical advantage in front of goal. Sarr earned an 8.0 rating for his game-winning performance. Tyrick Mitchell’s defensive work and Wharton’s midfield presence proved crucial for the hosts.
This win puts Palace at the top of their group with three points from one game. Shakhtar remain level on points but face an uphill battle in the competition. Both teams will be looking to capitalize on this opening game in their European campaigns.

