Crystal Palace are one step away from a historic first European final, but the hosts certainly shouldn't relax. Yes, a 3-1 win in the first leg gives them a solid lead, and Selhurst Park is unbeaten for seven matches. However, the problems are obvious: the Eagles have conceded in four of their last five games, and the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth demonstrated that Glasner's team's defense is far from perfect, especially when forced to attack.
The Miners need to fight back, which means their signature ball control (71% in the first leg) will shift to an even more aggressive attacking mode. The Portuguese internationals and Elias are consistently scoring away in European competitions (two or more goals in five away matches), but the Orange-and-Blacks' key problem is their own goal. Shakhtar have conceded in seven of their last eight games, and even a weak Dynamo Moscow side has upset Riznyk in the league.
Tactically, this is the ideal scenario for a "both teams to score" bet. Shakhtar are too clever in attack to fail to score for the 50th time in a row, even away from home against a Premier League club. But Palace, with Sarr, Mateta, and Kamada, will also tear apart the opponent's defense on the counterattack, as one goal conceded would be enough for the hosts to end any doubts about reaching the final.
