Crystal Palace moved within touching distance of the Europa Conference League final after a 3-1 first-leg victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at Synerise Arena in Krakow, though Jorgen Strand Larsen and the squad stressed there would be no early celebrations before the return match at Selhurst Park.
The result gives Palace a strong advantage before the semi-final second leg in south London, while Opta’s supercomputer currently estimates their chances of lifting the trophy at 59%. Despite that rating and a commanding scoreline, players and staff under Oliver Glasner are keeping the focus on finishing the job in the home fixture.
The first leg opened at a frantic pace as Ismaila Sarr struck after just 21 seconds, the fastest goal recorded in the history
of the Conference League. Shakhtar forced their way back into the contest with an equaliser shortly after half-time, but Palace responded with composed attacking play during the final half-hour.
Daichi Kamada restored the advantage with a well-taken finish, and substitute Jorgen Strand Larsen then added a third goal, scoring a first Conference League strike for Palace after coming off the bench. That late effort created a two-goal cushion and left the Premier League side in a strong position heading into the decisive meeting in London.
Although Shakhtar attempted more shots overall, Palace were far more efficient in front of goal and produced the clearer chances. Jean-Philippe Mateta also struck the post as Glasner’s team combined clinical attacking moments with a controlled defensive display that limited Shakhtar’s threat from open play.
Strand Larsen described how much the goal meant after a difficult spell in front of goal and strong internal competition for a starting role. The forward explained that recent setbacks, including frustration against Liverpool, made the finish in Krakow an important moment on both a personal level and for the squad.
"I needed that. I was unlucky against Liverpool; I felt like the confidence had dropped, but I always keep going," he told TNT Sports. "It's tough, two good players [he and Jean-Philippe Mateta] fighting for one spot, but to come in and score is amazing. You could see after we scored early that they are a good team. We had to stay in, not lose our heads. We are 3-1 up, but there is still a game to play. It was important for me and the team to get a third. We know the structure of the manager and the team. We had to accept they are a good team, so we had to sit a bit deeper, but we did well on the counter-attack, and if we were even better, we could have scored more. We are not going to over-celebrate. We are really happy with this. Hopefully, we are going to smash it on Thursday and go through. "
Glasner echoed that sense of satisfaction mixed with caution, praising the discipline of the players and the impact of substitutions during a demanding away tie. The head coach highlighted how the team handled Shakhtar’s set-piece threat and reacted strongly after conceding the equaliser early in the second half.
"I'm very happy and very pleased with the performance, Glasner told TNT Sports. Credit to the playersthey stuck to the plan and worked very hard, every single one in defence. We didn't give them a lot. They were a big threat from set-plays, yeah? This is where we conceded, but I think we were also the same when we went forward. When we were on the attack, it was always very threatening. I was really impressed with the reaction the team showed when we conceded the equaliser because, all of a sudden, we had two or three big chances, missed them, and then it was a long throw-in, and we took the lead again, and then waited for our situation. Huge impacts from the bench. Overall, we are very pleased with the performance, but it's just the first step. I believe we have to perform even better at home to go to the final. "
Palace’s approach in Krakow mixed compact defending with quick counter-attacks, and the 3-1 scoreline reflected that balance more than the shot count alone. With a two-goal lead, home advantage, and key attackers finding form, Glasner’s side hold control of the tie, yet the messaging from camp remains measured ahead of the decisive night at Selhurst Park.
