Palace start next stage of European adventure with a win

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Dynamo Kyiv 0 - 2 Crystal Palace 

Goals from Daniel Munoz and Eddie Nketiah gave Crystal Palace their first ever away win in European competition.

Author | James Lees

Stadium | Motor Lublin Arena

Daniel Muñoz set Palace on their way with a looping header from Yeremy Pino’s back-post cross, marking a historic first goal in the group stage of European competition for the club.

Eddie Nketiah, introduced from the bench, added a second just before the hour. The forward finished sharply from close range after a fine piece of skill and precise delivery by Pino on the left.

The strike sparked jubilation among the 3,500 travelling Palace supporters and not even the late dismissal of Borna Sosa, who picked up two yellow cards in quick succession, could dampen the celebrations.

Super News Football 2025 | Conference League | Dynamo Kiev v Crystal Palace | View from the away end

Towards the end of the match, nineteen-year-old wing-back Rio Cardines got a few minutes to show what he can do for Palace and nearly made an instant impact. 

It would remain 2-0 on a memorable night for Crystal Palace

This was another impressive performance for Palace.  They might not be in the European competition they deserved to be in, but their fans are still going to enjoy every second of the continental adventure.

Palace are justifying their status as Conference League favourites.

Demoted from the Europa League after Uefa ruled they had breached multi-club ownership regulations, Oliver Glasner’s side had already squeezed past Fredrikstad in the qualifying round.

But on the night their journey to Leipzig truly began, they looked anything but tentative. This was a composed and confident performance in Poland that underlined Crystal Palace’s growing stature on the European stage.

Rather than resembling novices in their first continental campaign, Palace showed why they are regarded among the favourites to win this competition, even without Jean-Philippe Mateta for the second half.

Super News Football 2025 | Conference League | Dynamo Kiev v Crystal Palace | Home fans watch on
Dynamo fans watch on

The French striker, celebrating his maiden call-up to the national squad, would have relished marking the occasion with a goal. His withdrawal at the interval, however, barely disrupted Palace’s rhythm.

If anything, they grew stronger, shifting from functional to fluent as Adam Wharton increasingly dictated the tempo and summer signing Yeremy Pino impressed in possession.

And, just as he did with his late winner against Liverpool at the weekend that lifted Palace into third in the Premier League, Eddie Nketiah once again made the difference from the bench, replacing Mateta to deliver another decisive contribution.

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