Several home teams dominated the UEFA Conference League quarter-final first legs on Thursday, with Crystal Palace, Rayo Vallecano, Mainz and Shakhtar Donetsk all posting shutout victories. Crystal Palace defeated Fiorentina 3-0 at Selhurst Park, while Rayo Vallecano beat AEK Athens by the same scoreline. Mainz prevailed 2-0 over Strasbourg, and Shakhtar Donetsk triumphed 3-0 against AZ Alkmaar.
Crystal Palace took control early against Fiorentina, earning a penalty midway through the first half when Evann Guessand was fouled by Dodo. Jean-Philippe Mateta converted from the spot past David de Gea, and Tyrick Mitchell doubled the lead seven minutes later with a close-range finish. Ismaïla Sarr sealed the 3-0 win with a stoppage-time header from a Daichi Kamada cross, putting Oliver Glasner's side in a strong position for the second leg. Fiorentina hit the crossbar through Giovanni Fabbian but lacked cutting edge despite more possession in the second half. Palace captain Dean Henderson kept a clean sheet, with Daniel Munoz and Sarr troubling the visitors down the flanks. Rayo Vallecano also won 3-0 over AEK Athens in an early kick-off. Ilias Akhomach scored inside two minutes on a counter, Unai Lopez added a second before halftime, and Isi Palazon converted a penalty. AEK improved after the break but could not convert, with Luka Jovic coming closest. Mainz broke French resistance with a 2-0 victory against Strasbourg. Kaishu Sano struck from distance early, and Stefan Posch finished from a corner soon after. Strasbourg hit the woodwork and forced saves post-interval but failed to score. Shakhtar Donetsk produced a clinical second-half display to beat AZ Alkmaar 3-0. Pedrinho opened with a long-range strike, followed by two quick goals from Alisson Santana. AZ had chances but were denied by solid defending. Winners advance to semifinals next week, with Crystal Palace set to face the Shakhtar-AZ victor if they progress.
