Crystal Palace set a new club record as they started their Conference League campaign with a 2-0 win over Ukrainian champions Dynamo Kyiv at the Motor Lublin Arena in Poland.
Daniel Munoz scored Palace’s first-ever away goal in Europe and second-half substitute Eddie Nketiah also struck, both from Yeremy Pino left-wing crosses, to extend Palace’s unbeaten run to 19 matches.
It is their longest-ever stretch of games without a defeat, which they preserved despite Borna Sosa’s red card in the final quarter of an hour after being booked twice in the space of three minutes.
Dynamo, playing in their temporary home of Lublin amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, did not touch the ball in Palace’s area until they were down to 10 men and were unable to threaten a grandstand finale.
It was a convincing display from the FA Cup and Community Shield winners, oozing confidence as their hot streak – they beat Premier League leaders Liverpool last weekend – continued.
Sosa and Will Hughes came into the XI for Palace’s maiden appearance at the group phase of a major European competition, with Tyrick Mitchell and Ismaila Sarr dropping down to the bench.
After the players shook hands, with every Dynamo player draped in a Ukrainian flag, Palace started on the front foot without causing too many alarms in the early stages.
Deliveries over the top were giving Dynamo’s defence problems and two from Marc Guehi slipped in Jean-Philippe Mateta, who could not connect with either on the day he was handed his first France call-up.
Palace continued to ask questions and went ahead in the 31st minute, with Dynamo briefly down to 10 as Taras Mykhavko received treatment for a head injury that led to his substitution moments later.
Pino drifted in from the left and crossed beyond the far post, where Munoz leapt above Dynamo left-back Vladyslav Dubinchak and his header arced over Ruslan Neshcheret for a historic Palace goal.
Borna Sosa volleyed at Neshcheret after ghosting to Adam Wharton’s cross while the Dynamo goalkeeper gathered from Daichi Kamada, who charged into the area but could only get a weak shot away.
Mateta was withdrawn at half-time and replaced with Nketiah, who made his presence felt when he slotted home, and while the offside flag went up there was no denying the England striker in the 59th minute.
Pino was once again the architect, tricking his way past Volodymyr Brazhko before delivering a low ball from the left with the outside of his right boot to Nketiah, who did likewise with his volleyed finish.
Palace continued to pour forward and Adam Wharton, pulling the strings having teed up Nketiah for his disallowed goal, set the former Arsenal forward free again but Neshcheret was equal to his 20-yard strike.
Sosa went into the book for a foul on Shola Ogundana in the 75th minute and was then given his marching orders for his next mistimed challenge, a rash lunge which caught Oleksandr Tymchyk on the ankle.
Dynamo, were unable to capitalise and it was not until added time that they had their first shot on target as Oleksandr Karavaiev glanced a header from a corner that was easily saved by Dean Henderson.
Indeed, it was Palace who finished strongly with Wharton denied late on by Neshcheret while the substitute Sarr saw his effort blocked.
