Crystal Palace 3-1 Shakhtar Donetsk Player Ratings: Eagles Soar in Dominant Victory

Crystal Palace secured an impressive 3-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa Conference League semi-final first leg, delivering a composed and clinical away performance. The Eagles looked sharp from the opening whistle and controlled key moments of the match with confidence.

The visitors made the perfect start as Ismaïla Sarr opened the scoring early, putting Palace in a strong position. Shakhtar responded with determination after the break, and Oleg Ocheretko brought the hosts level with a well-taken equaliser that shifted the momentum of the game.

However, Crystal Palace quickly regained control through the outstanding Daichi Kamada, who restored the lead with a brilliant finish after an influential all-round display. Palace then added a third goal to cap off a professional performance and strengthen their advantage heading into the second leg.

In the end, it was a tactically disciplined and clinical display from Crystal Palace, who made the most of their chances while punishing Shakhtar’s missed opportunities.

Check out the Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace Player Ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Crystal Palace FC controlled key moments and produced a clinical performance against FC Shakhtar Donetsk.
• After Oleg Ocheretko equalised, Kamada restored the lead with a standout display.
• Early pressure from Ismaïla Sarr and a late third goal sealed an impressive 3-1 win for Palace.

Crystal Palace Player Ratings vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Let's grab a look at the Crystal Palace player ratings.

Goalkeeper

Dean Henderson - 6.5: We thought he had a relatively quiet evening. He couldn't do much about the goal he conceded. Henderson made a few good high claims which showed his command of the area. He was tidy with his distribution, even if most were long balls. Overall, a solid, if unspectacular, performance from the keeper.

Defenders

Daniel Muñoz - 6.5: A mixed bag for Muñoz in our books. He was strong in the air winning a few headers. However, he lost more duels than he won on the ground. He did contribute one key pass going forward, but we noticed he seemed a bit vulnerable defensively at times. Still, a decent shift.

Tyrick Mitchell - 7.5: What stood out to us was his incredible defensive work rate. He won a staggering 12 duels and made 8 tackles. He was an absolute menace down the left flank. Mitchell also showed his dribbling ability, completing three successful runs. A truly commanding performance from the fullback.

Maxence Lacroix - 8.0: An outstanding display from the central defender. He was imperious at the back, with 8 clearances and some crucial blocks. What really impressed us was his contribution going forward, grabbing an assist with a brilliant key pass. He looked composed on the ball and rarely put a foot wrong.

Chris Richards - 7.0: A very solid partner for Lacroix. Richards made his presence felt with 2 crucial interceptions and 2 tackles. He was strong in the air winning most of his aerial duels. From our perspective, he read the game very well and helped nullify Shakhtar's attacks for large periods.

Jaydee Canvot - 6.5: He did his job without much fuss. His passing was neat and tidy, and he made a couple of important tackles. The yellow card was a slight blemish on his performance. Overall, he was a reliable part of a defense that was largely untroubled.

Midfielders

Daichi Kamada - 9.0: Our Man of the Match, without a doubt. Kamada was simply magical. He scored a goal, provided an assist, and was the heartbeat of the team. His movement and intelligence were on another level. He barely wasted a pass and was always looking to create. A masterclass performance that decided the game.

Adam Wharton - 7.0: A typical all-action display from Wharton. He was a terrier in midfield winning 7 duels and making 3 tackles. He also showed his attacking intent with two shots on target. We felt he was everywhere, breaking up play and driving his team forward. A very mature performance.

Forwards

Ismaïla Sarr - 8.5: He was electric. Sarr scored the vital opening goal with a clinical finish. His pace and direct running caused problems for the Shakhtar defense all night. He was a constant threat and looked dangerous every time he got the ball. A fantastic performance full of confidence and quality.

Yéremy Pino - 6.0: A quiet night for Pino. He worked hard off the ball but struggled to make an impact in the final third. He picked up a yellow card and was substituted in the second half. We expected a little more from him, to be honest.

Jean-Philippe Mateta - 6.0: A frustrating evening for the big striker. He did well to provide an assist and was unlucky to see his shot hit the post. However, he missed two big chances that a player of his quality should have scored. A mixed performance that could have been so much better.

Manager

O. Glasner - 8.5: The manager deserves huge credit. His tactical setup was perfect. Crystal Palace looked organized, disciplined, and clinical. They exploited Shakhtar's weaknesses and were ruthless in attack. A near-perfect away performance in a European semi-final.

Shakhtar Donetsk Player Ratings vs Crystal Palace

Here's a look at the Shakhtar Donetsk player ratings.

Goalkeeper

Dmytro Riznyk - 5.5: A tough night for the Shakhtar keeper. He conceded three goals, although he wasn't directly at fault for all of them. He made three saves inside the box. However, he looked a bit hesitant at times and his defenders didn't help him much.

Defenders

Valeriy Bondar - 6.0: He boasted an incredible 99% pass accuracy, but his primary job was to defend. He was part of a backline that conceded three goals and looked vulnerable. We noticed he was tidy on the ball but lacked the defensive steel to handle Palace's forwards.

Mykola Matvienko - 5.5: A night to forget for the captain. His error led to a shot, which summed up his performance. He struggled to cope with the movement and pace of Palace's attack. We felt he looked off the pace and was second best in most of his duels.

Pedro Henrique - 5.0: He had a very difficult game. He only won two of his seven duels and lost possession eight times. From our perspective, he was often caught out of position and struggled to make any positive impact. Palace's attackers targeted his side effectively.

Vinícius Tobias - 4.5: A torrid evening for the fullback. He lost possession a staggering 17 times and was booked for a clumsy foul. He looked completely out of his depth against the pace of Palace's wingers. He was a clear weak link in the Shakhtar defence.

Midfielders

Marlon Gomes - 6.5: He had some neat touches and his passing was accurate. However, he couldn't impose himself on the game and was substituted in the second half. He won most of his duels but failed to provide the creative spark his team needed.

Oleg Ocheretko - 7.5: Shakhtar's best player on the night. He scored a brilliant goal to give his team hope. He was a livewire in midfield and always looked to make things happen. It was a shame his teammates couldn't match his energy and quality.

Alisson - 5.5: A really sloppy performance in possession. He lost the ball 23 times which is just not good enough at this level. While he did win a good number of duels, his carelessness on the ball constantly put his team under pressure. A frustrating player to watch.

Pedrinho - 7.0: He was one of the few bright spots for Shakhtar. He created four key passes and was their main creative outlet. His dribbling and vision caused some problems for the Palace defence. It was a surprise to see him substituted.

Forwards

Eguinaldo - 6.0: He was full of effort but lacked the final product. He had five shots but none of them were on target. He worked hard and got into good positions but his finishing was wayward. A frustrating night for the forward.

Kauã Elias - 6.5: He provided the assist for Shakhtar's goal and looked lively at times. He was willing to take on defenders but often found himself crowded out. He showed flashes of quality but needs to be more consistent.

Manager

A. Turan - 5.0: His team looked tactically naive. They were defensively disorganized and were easily picked apart by Crystal Palace. His substitutions didn't change the game. He has a massive task ahead of him to turn this tie around in the second leg.

Man of the Match

Daichi Kamada was the man of the match in the Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace game.

Worst Performer

Vinícius Tobias had a difficult game for the Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace fixture.