Crystal Palace Soars into First European Final with 2-1 Victory Over Shakhtar Donetsk
Crystal Palace has made history by reaching their first-ever European final after securing a 2-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park. This victory, combined with a 5-2 aggregate win in the Conference League semi-final, sets the stage for a showdown against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig. Ismaila Sarr played a crucial role, scoring the decisive goal to ensure Palace's advancement after Eguinaldo momentarily revived Shakhtar’s hopes by equalizing following an own goal. This match marked the 50th win of outgoing manager Oliver Glasner's tenure, culminating in the most successful period in the club's history. The Eagles now aim to add the Conference League trophy to their collection, which already boasts the FA Cup and Community Shield. The match proceeded with Palace largely in control, despite an early threat from Shakhtar. Key moments included: Yeremy Pino's disallowed goal in the 9th minute due to offside. Daniel Munoz opening the scoring after capitalizing on a saved shot. Eguinaldo equalizing for Shakhtar in the 34th minute, briefly igniting their hopes. Sarr scoring his 19th goal of the season just after half-time to cement the Eagles' place in the final. The final against Rayo Vallecano is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, at the Red Bull Arena, with kickoff at 8pm UK time. Furthermore, Crystal Palace will return to Premier League action against Everton on Sunday, May 10, live on Sky Sports.
Source: Sky Sports - 2026-05-07