Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar Donetsk Preview

Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar Donetsk

Competition – Conference League

Stadium: Selhurst Park

Date: 7th May 2026

Kick-off time – 20:00  GMT

Selhurst Park stages the second leg of a Conference League semi-final on Thursday evening as Crystal Palace host Shakhtar Donetsk with a two-goal aggregate lead. Palace claimed a superb 3-1 away win in the first leg and need only to avoid a two-goal defeat in normal time to reach the final. Shakhtar must overturn that deficit — winning by two or more goals — to advance, making this an enormous task for the Ukrainian side.

Crystal Palace come into this second leg on the back of a disappointing Premier League weekend result. Their most recent outing was a 3-0 away defeat at AFC Bournemouth on Sunday. Prior to that, the 3-1 first leg victory in Poland was one of the performances of Palace’s European campaign — clinical, well-structured and executed under pressure. Before that, a 3-1 defeat away at Liverpool in the league was a reminder of the gap between Palace and the top teams domestically. Earlier in this run, a goalless home draw with West Ham and a 2-1 away defeat at Fiorentina in the previous Conference League knockout round complete a sequence that underlines the disparity between their European and league performances this season. At Selhurst Park, with a two-goal cushion, Thursday’s task should suit Palace’s defensive resilience perfectly.

Shakhtar Donetsk arrive in south London facing a near-impossible task but with the experience of European knockout football behind them. Their most recent outing was the 1-3 first leg loss at home. Prior to that, a 2-2 draw away at AZ Alkmaar in the previous round gave them enough to progress on aggregate. Before that, a 3-0 home win over AZ Alkmaar demonstrated their attacking capacity in front of their own supporters. Earlier in this run, a 1-2 home defeat to Lech Poznan and a 3-1 away win at Lech Poznan in the earlier knockout round complete a sequence that shows Shakhtar’s ability to produce big performances, particularly away from home. They will need the biggest of their season in London, but the mathematics are ruthless.

The two sides have met only once previously — in the first leg of this semi-final. Crystal Palace won 3-1 away at Shakhtar Donetsk on 30th April 2026, taking a commanding two-goal aggregate lead into Thursday’s second leg.

Crystal Palace sit fifteenth in the Premier League on 43 points, with their domestic season offering little to play for beyond a respectable finish. The Conference League, however, represents a genuine chance to make history, and the prospect of a European final is the singular motivation heading into Thursday night. Shakhtar Donetsk compete outside of the major European leagues given their wartime circumstances, and their Conference League run has been one of the most compelling stories of the tournament.

In the United Kingdom, the match is live on TNT Sports 2 and available to stream via HBO Max. In the United States, viewers can watch on Paramount+ and ViX. The game is also available in Germany on RTL+ and across Italy on Sky Sport 254 and NOW TV.


Crystal Palace — Last Five Results

Result Home Team Score Away Team Competition Date
AFC Bournemouth 3 – 0 Crystal Palace English Premier League May 3, 2026
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 – 3 Crystal Palace Conference League Apr 30, 2026
Liverpool 3 – 1 Crystal Palace English Premier League Apr 25, 2026
🤝 Crystal Palace 0 – 0 West Ham United English Premier League Apr 20, 2026
Fiorentina 2 – 1 Crystal Palace Conference League Apr 16, 2026

Shakhtar Donetsk — Last Five Results

Result Home Team Score Away Team Competition Date
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 – 3 Crystal Palace Conference League Apr 30, 2026
🤝 AZ Alkmaar 2 – 2 Shakhtar Donetsk Conference League Apr 16, 2026
Shakhtar Donetsk 3 – 0 AZ Alkmaar Conference League Apr 9, 2026
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 – 2 Lech Poznan Conference League Mar 19, 2026
Lech Poznan 1 – 3 Shakhtar Donetsk Conference League Mar 12, 2026

Head to Head — Last Five Meetings

Home Team Score Away Team Competition Date
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 – 3 Crystal Palace Conference League Apr 30, 2026

TV Listings / Streaming

Country Channel
United Kingdom TNT Sports 2, HBO Max
Ireland TNT Sports 2, Premier Sports ROI 2, HBO Max
United States Paramount+, ViX
Germany RTL+
Italy Sky Sport 254, NOW TV
Netherlands Ziggo Sport 3
Norway Viaplay Norway, TV3+ Norway
Australia Stan Sport
Canada DAZN Canada
Portugal DAZN2 Portugal, DAZN Portugal

About Bet.ax Staff

Driven by passion, precision, and a love for the sport, we’re dedicated to delivering the best football content possible that informs, excites, and connects fans everywhere.

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