Goals from Daniel Munoz and Eddie Nketiah saw Crystal Palace extend their unbeaten run to a historic 19 matches with a 2-0 victory away to Dynamo Kiev.
Munoz headed Palace into a 31st-minute lead from the first of two assists by Yeremy Pino as he met the Spaniard’s cross with a looping header into the left corner.
Pino eventually proved key to the settling of this tie as he played a 58th-minute cutback pass into the centre of the box, which Nketiah turned in to wrap up Palace’s first away win in the competition and a club-historic 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Borna Sosa however was red carded in the 76th minute following a second booking in the space of three minutes to spoil an otherwise historic night for Palace.
Palace manager, Oliver Glasner praised his players for their clinical performance as he noted that European teams seem to be reacting to their style of play with tactical and formation tweaks.
“Credit to the players, because we scored a very nice goal with Dani Munoz. This was one of our habits against a deep block, going in behind. We had two more big chances, and I think it was a completely deserved win.
“It looks like teams react more to the way we are playing, so in the Premier League every team plays its style, their system, once or twice it happens that the opposition changes their system, and now we’ve two opponents with Fredrikstad and Kyiv, and both teams started in a different system than we expected.
“Maybe this is a little bit different, and we will see if this continues, but it is not difficult to prepare the team, because they are so hungry to succeed, and so ambitious, and of course we want to keep them pushing, and it is really easy to keep the focus high.”
With confidence high on their 18-match unbeaten run at kick-off in Lublin, Poland, Palace unsurprisingly made a strong start and almost took a fifth-minute lead after Munoz played a pass towards Jean-Philippe Mateta at the right post but the ball was deflected behind.
Dynamo Kiev failed to make any notable attacking impact in the first half against a robust Palace defence, and their difficulties were worsened by a concussion for Taras Mykhavko following a collision with Maxime Lacroix, which ultimately forced him to be substituted in the 34th minute.
Palace however benefitted from Mykhavko’s absence on the pitch three minutes earlier as Pino floated a cross into the box, which Munoz headed into the far-left corner to gift the Eagles their first-ever European away goal.
Mateta missed a chance to double Palace’s lead in the third minute of first-half injury-time as he latched onto Daichi Kamada’s through-ball pass, yet rifled his shot over the bar when one-on-one against Ruslan Neshcheret.
Neshcheret further spared the hosts’ blushes before half time as he saved Kamada’s tame shot after the Japanese player opted to attempt a dribble and finish into the box.
Palace continued to dominate proceedings as Pino saw a 53rd-minute shot saved before substitute, Nketiah saw a goal ruled offside after he fired in from Wharton’s pass two minutes later.
Nketiah however wouldn’t be denied in the 58th minute after Pino won possession on the left and cut in past a Kiev defender to play a low cutback pass, which the England forward calmly turned in from close range to put Palace in control.
Sosa however lost his cool with two reckless challenges in the space of three minutes, which culminated in his red card in the 76th minute after he was handed a second yellow card following his foul on Oleksandr Tymchyk.
Palace eventually claimed a club-record 19th match unbeaten despite late pressure from Kiev as Oleksandr Karavaev’s header was saved by Dean Henderson in their only shot on target, which capped a disappointing performance from the Ukrainian club.
What’s Next?
Dynamo Kiev return their focus to the Ukrainian Premier League on Sunday 5 October as they host Metalist 1925.
Palace head to Everton on the same date as they resume their Premier League duties in a 2pm kick-off at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Teams
Dynamo Kiev: Ruslan Neshcheret, Oleksandr Tymchyk (Karavaev 81′), Kristian Bilovar, Aliou Thiare, Taras Mykhavko (Voloshyn 34′), Volodymyr Brazhko, Andriy Yarmolenko (Ogundana 67′), Oleksandr Yatsyk (Pikhalyonok 68′), Mykola Shaparenko (Blanuta 81′), Vladyslav Dubinchak, Eduardo Guerrero.
Substitutes: Valentyn Morgun, Denys Ignatenko, Kostyantyn Vivcharenko, Oleksandr Pikhalyonok, Nazar Voloshyn, Vasyl Burtnyk, Valentyn Rubchynskyi, Shola Ogundana, Oleksandr Karavaev, Vitaliy Buyalskyi, Vladyslav Zakharchenko, Vladislav Blanuta.
Crystal Palace: Dean Henderson, Chris Richards, Maxime Lacroix, Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz (Cardines 88′), Adam Wharton, Will Hughes (Lerma 52′), Borna Sosa, Daichi Kamada (Devenny 69′), Yeremy Pino (Sarr 69′), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Nketiah 46′)
Substitutes: Remi Matthews, Walter Benitez, Tyrick Mitchell, Ismaila Sarr, Jefferson Lerma, Eddie Nketiah, Christiantus Uche, Nathaniel Clyne, Romain Esse, Jaydee Canvot, Justin Devenny, Rio Cardines
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