Crystal Palace secured a place in their first-ever European final on Thursday night, defeating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 at Selhurst Park to complete a 5-2 aggregate victory.
The win ensures a historic conclusion to the tenure of manager Oliver Glasner, who is set to depart after leading the club through its most successful period to date. The Eagles will now face Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig on May 27.
Glasner opted for consistency, fielding the same starting eleven that secured a two-goal cushion in the first leg. Palace nearly opened the scoring within ten minutes when Yeremy Pino converted a flick-on from Jean-Philippe Mateta, but the goal was overturned by VAR for offside.
The breakthrough eventually arrived via an own goal after Daniel Muñoz reacted quickest to a saved Adam Wharton strike. His powerful follow-up deflected off Pedrinho and into the net, further extending Palace’s lead in the tie.
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Shakhtar Donetsk briefly threatened a comeback in the 34th minute when Eguinaldo found the top corner with a clinical long-range effort. The goal leveled the score on the night and provided the Ukrainian side with a glimmer of hope, but Palace nearly restored their advantage before the break when Mateta’s overhead kick struck the post.
The tie was effectively settled seven minutes into the second half. Ismaila Sarr scored his 19th goal of the season and his ninth in the competition, capitalizing on Palace’s dominance to put the aggregate score out of reach. From that point, the home side controlled the tempo of the game, limiting Shakhtar’s opportunities and comfortably seeing out the final stages of the match.
The victory marks the 50th win of Glasner’s reign and places the South London club on the verge of its first major European trophy. Having already secured domestic silverware during this golden era, Crystal Palace now heads to Germany seeking to cement their legacy on the continental stage against a Rayo Vallecano side also making their final debut.
