The powers that be in European football have served up a mouth watering clash this evening as Crystal Palace travel to the heart of Europe to face Sha...
The powers that be in European football have served up a mouth watering clash this evening as Crystal Palace travel to the heart of Europe to face Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi final. The atmosphere in the stadium is electric, with the home side determined to give a good account of themselves on their own pitch. Palace manager Oliver Glasner has made one alteration to the eleven that started against Liverpool, with Yeremy Pino taking the place of Brennan Johnson. This change is expected to inject fresh pace and creativity into the Eagles attack. Shakhtar, as is their tradition, parade a formidable Brazilian contingent with seven players from the South American nation in their starting lineup. In the scheme of things, this is a major statement of intent from the Ukrainian champions. Speaking to GoalZaza before kick off, Glasner praised the journey his side has undertaken to reach this stage. He said,. �It is really awesome what we have done together. Now it is about sticking to our principles, playing with confidence and trusting in what we are doing.. � The lion. �s share of the pressure, however, falls on Shakhtar to protect their home advantage and carry a positive result into the second leg. As the players take their positions on the pitch, the white jerseys of Shakhtar contrast sharply with the red and blue of the visitors. The boots are laced tight and the battle is set to commence. At the end of the day, this is a fixture that promises drama, resilience and clinical finishing from both sides. Stay with GoalZaza for live updates throughout the evening. Here in Lagos, the viewing centres along Awolowo Road and Surulere are already bubbling with excitement. Fans draped in the colours of both teams are trading banter over cold bottles of soft drink and roasted groundnuts. The moment a Nigerian international like Victor Osimhen or Taiwo Awoniyi is mentioned in connection with a potential move to either club, the crowd erupts in argument and laughter. The Super Eagles talisman may not be playing tonight, but his shadow looms large over every European fixture. As the match referee signals for the game to begin, a collective hush falls over the crowd, broken only by the sharp clap of hands and the call for the vendor to bring more shares of pepper soup. This is the beautiful game, and Nigeria is watching with its full heart. End. GoalZaza.
