Dynamo Kyiv 0-2 Crystal Palace: Eagles win on European bow to extend unbeaten run

Crystal Palace enjoyed their maiden European adventure by seeing off Dynamo Kyiv in Lublin thanks to goals from Daniel Munoz and Eddie Nketiah.

The Eagles went into the game – their first in a major continental competition – on the back of an 18-game unbeaten run in all competitions and their confidence shone through with Kyiv unable to muster much of a response.

The ‘home’ side were not helped by having to play the game on Polish territory due to the Russian invasion of their homeland.

Munoz’s looping header put Palace in front after 31 minutes and Nketiah – the hero of the late win over Liverpool at the weekend – struck again 13 minutes into the second half.

The only blemish on an otherwise perfect night for Palace and boss Oliver Glasner was the needless sending off of Borna Sosa with 14 minutes to go.

Palace boss early stages

Palace were quickly into their stride and only some fine defending prevented Jean-Philippe Mateta from sliding home Munoz’s low cross after six minutes.

Munoz was causing Kyiv problems down Palace’s right and the Colombia international made the breakthrough shortly after the half-hour mark.

Yeremy Pino floated a cross in from the left and Munoz got above his marker at the far post to guide a header past Ruslan Neshcheret and into the net. Kyiv would have felt frustrated, however, as the goal came when they were down to 10 men with defender Taras Mykhavko getting treatment after a collision with Maxime Lacroix.

Nescheret denied Palace a second goal before the break with a smart block after Sosa had got on the end of an Adam Wharton pass.

Nketiah came on for Mateta at half-time and made an instant impact, nearly making it 2-0 with a clever finish after latching on to another superb Wharton pass.

It went to VAR, though, and was disallowed for a tight offside.

Nketiah did make his mark a minute later. Pino was the architect with a neat piece of skill and cross and the former Arsenal striker did the rest with a crisp finish.

Palace were, by now, in cruise control and Nescheret had to get down well to keep out an Nketiah shot.

Silly Sosa taints Palace win

Sosa, given a chance at left wing-back in place of Tyrick Mitchell, blotted his copybook with two silly challenges. The first booking came for a tackle on Shola Ogundana and the second, a minute later, for a senseless barge into Oleksandr Tymchyk.

Dynamo belatedly offered an attacking threat but substitute Vladislav Blanuta shot into the sidenetting and Oleksandr Karavaiev glanced a header straight at Dean Henderson.

Palace held on with ease to the delight of their travelling supporters.