【Daichi Kamada Shines】Crystal Palace Beat Shakhtar to Reach ECL Final! Scorers' Season Stats and World Cup Outlook
Daichi Kamada played the full 90 minutes as a defensive midfielder and earned a high rating in the 7s. Crystal Palace defeated Shakhtar 2-1 (5-2 on aggregate) to secure the club's first-ever European final appearance. We break down the scorers' season stats and their implications for the 2026 World Cup.
On 7 May 2026, Crystal Palace defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 in the second leg of the UEFA Conference League (ECL) semi-final, advancing to the club's first-ever European final with a 5-2 aggregate victory. Japan international MF Daichi Kamada played the full 90 minutes at the base of midfield, earning high ratings in the 7s from the British media. The final takes place on 27 May in Leipzig against Rayo Vallecano.
sports_soccer Match Result Summary
- Competition ― UEFA Conference League Semi-Final, 2nd Leg
- Date ― 7 May 2026 (local time)
- Venue ― Selhurst Park (London)
- Score ― Crystal Palace 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
- Aggregate ― Crystal Palace advance 5-2 on aggregate
- Next Match ― ECL Final, Wednesday 27 May, vs Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig
star Goalscorers & Match Report
- 9' ― Pino headed home, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review for offside
- 25' ― Pedro Henrique turned a cross-shot from Muñoz into his own net, giving Palace the lead (1-0)
- 34' ― Shakhtar's young talent Eginaldo fired a precise left-footed shot to level the score (1-1)
- 44' ― Mateta's acrobatic effort struck the post, narrowly failing to restore Palace's lead
- 52' ― Sarr slipped in between defenders to redirect a low, driven cross from Mitchell, putting Palace back in front (2-1)
- 67' ― Henderson produced a fine save to deny a powerful strike from Pedrinho
- 82' ― Shakhtar pressed late, but Palace's defence held firm to see the game out
menu_book Starting Line-Ups
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1)
- GK ― Henderson
- Back 3 ― Richards / Lacroix / Kamvo
- WB + Midfield ― Muñoz / Wharton / Daichi Kamada / Mitchell
- Shadow Strikers ― Sarr / Pino
- CF ― Mateta
Shakhtar Donetsk (4-1-4-1)
- GK ― Riznyk
- Back 4 ― Tobias / Bondar / Matviyenko / Pedro Henrique
- Anchor ― Ocheretko
- Inside / Wide ― Alisson / Pedrinho / Gomes / Eginaldo
- CF ― Elias
local_fire_department Daichi Kamada's Performance
Sky Sports awarded Kamada a rating of 7/10, with the British media heaping praise on him for his "outstanding work at the base of midfield" and describing him as showing "quality and intelligence with his confidence fully restored." He adeptly neutralised Shakhtar's midfield press, and his determination to keep playing despite being fouled drew a glowing comment from manager Oliver Glasner, who called it "the character of this team."
In the first leg played away on 30 April (held in Kraków, Poland; Palace won 3-1), Kamada was also named Man of the Match after contributing his first goal of the season — the go-ahead goal — plus one assist. He was instrumental in reaching the European final in both legs.
After the match, Kamada reflected on his first leg goal: "When I play in the number 6 position, I don't get many chances, but today I had one and I was finally able to score," highlighting that his goal involvement from the holding midfield role was a personal reward in itself.
info Pre-Match Expectations vs. Reality
The bookmakers' favourite result was a 1-1 draw (odds of 7.0), with Shakhtar's solid away record — covering the +1 handicap in each of their previous 20 matches — making a competitive showing from the Ukrainian champions seem the most likely scenario. There were also questions about the pressure on Palace to "hold on" given their 3-1 lead from the first leg. In the end, however, Palace's control of the game at home exceeded all expectations.
sports_soccer Goalscorers' Season Statistics
Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace / Senegal)
The Senegal international speedster. His goal in this match made him the outright top scorer in the Conference League, and in the first leg of the semi-final he netted the fastest goal in the competition's history, scored after just 21 seconds.
- Conference League ― 11 appearances, 9 goals (top scorer)
- Premier League ― 24 appearances, 7 goals
- 2025-26 Season Total ― 19 goals in all competitions
At WC 2026, Sarr is set to be a key attacking figure for Senegal, who are drawn in Group I alongside France and Norway.
Eginaldo de Souza Lemos (Shakhtar Donetsk / Brazil)
A 20-year-old Brazilian forward tipped for big things at Shakhtar. He boasts an impressive conversion rate of 0.74 goals per 90 minutes in the Ukrainian Premier League.
- Ukrainian Premier League ― 14 appearances, 7 goals (2nd in team)
- Goals per 90 minutes ― 0.74 (3rd in the league overall)
A young talent with ambitions of breaking into the Brazil national team, his market value is expected to rise sharply in the near future.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace / France)
Although his point-blank effort hit the post, Mateta still led the line effectively as a focal point of the attack. He is the club's top scorer in the Premier League and is in contention for the France national team.
- Premier League ― 26 appearances, 10 goals (Palace's top scorer)
- Goals per 90 minutes ― 0.45 (21st among all PL players)
star Daichi Kamada and Expectations for WC 2026
As the World Cup draws closer, Kamada's role in the Japan national team is increasingly being focused on the holding midfield position (the number 6 role). In recent test matches, a double pivot alongside Kaishu Sano (Mainz) has been emerging as Moriyasu Japan's first choice, with Kamada expected to contribute composure in build-up play, strength in duels, and game management ability.
Experiencing the ultimate stage of a European final at club level will serve as the best possible preparation for Japan's journey from the World Cup group stage through to the knockout rounds. His role under manager Glasner at Palace — acting as a link between defence and attack by "buying time in midfield" — is precisely the job he is asked to do for the national team as well.
Should he lift the club's first-ever European title against Rayo Vallecano on 27 May, Kamada's standing as a key figure in the national team will become even more unassailable from the June international window onwards. Japan's charge at the World Cup is taking shape from the southern outskirts of London.
calendar_month Next Match: UEFA Conference League Final
- Date ― Wednesday, 27 May 2026
- Venue ― Leipzig Stadium (Germany)
- Match ― Crystal Palace vs Rayo Vallecano
Palace chasing their first-ever European title; Rayo Vallecano, the surprise Spanish side making their maiden European final appearance. A historic moment — a Japanese player starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a major European final — is almost upon us.
For the latest coverage of WC 2026 players to watch and match previews, visit article /news for regular updates. Check Japan's test match schedule and the World Cup draw at article /calendar.