Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar Donetsk | UEFA Europa Conference League Preview

Crystal Palace will be looking to complete the job when they welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to Selhurst Park for the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final. The Eagles hold a commanding 3-1 advantage from the first leg in Krakow, putting them firmly in the driving seat to reach their first European final.

Palace's recent form has been somewhat inconsistent, with their last five Conference League matches showing three wins, one draw and one defeat. However, that loss came in their most recent outing, which could be a concern for manager Patrick Vieira. The South London side have been solid at home in this competition, winning four of their seven matches at Selhurst Park while conceding just four goals in the process. Their attacking output has been steady with 24 goals in 15 Conference League fixtures, averaging 1.6 per game.

Shakhtar arrive in London having played fewer fixtures overall, with 13 matches compared to Palace's 15 in the competition. This could prove advantageous for the Ukrainian side, who should be fresher for this crucial encounter. Their away form has been particularly impressive, remaining unbeaten in six Conference League matches on the road with five wins and one draw. The visitors have shown more attacking threat away from home too, netting 14 goals in six away fixtures at an average of 2.3 per match.

The first leg result will give Palace enormous confidence, but Shakhtar have demonstrated their resilience throughout this European campaign. Their recent form shows four wins in their last five Conference League outings, with only that 3-1 defeat to Palace blotting their copybook. They've been clinical in front of goal, scoring 23 times in 13 matches, and their defensive record has been solid enough with just 15 goals conceded.

Palace typically line up in a 3-4-3 formation, which they've used in 11 of their 15 Conference League matches, while Shakhtar have been almost exclusively wedded to a 4-1-4-1 system, deploying it in 12 of their 13 fixtures. This tactical consistency suggests both managers have found systems that work for their squads in European competition.

Spanish referee A. Hernandez takes charge of this semi-final second leg. While specific disciplinary tendencies aren't immediately clear from the data, both teams will need to be mindful of their discipline given the high stakes involved. Palace have picked up one red card in the competition so far, coming in the final quarter of a match, while Shakhtar received their dismissal in extra time, suggesting both sides can maintain composure when it matters most.

The key for Shakhtar will be starting fast and getting an early goal to put pressure on Palace. They need to score at least three times to progress, which seems a tall order given Palace's defensive solidity at home. The Eagles will likely look to absorb pressure and hit on the counter-attack, using their pace to exploit spaces left by a Shakhtar side that will have to commit men forward.

Given Palace's two-goal cushion and strong home record in this competition, they should have enough to see off Shakhtar's challenge and book their place in the final. A 1-1 draw would be sufficient, but expect Palace to edge a tight contest 2-1 on the night.