Conference League Matchday 5 round-up: Crystal Palace cruise, Fiorentina victorious, six more progress

With the league phase of the UEFA Conference League reaching its climax later this month, six further sides joined Samsunspor and Strasbourg in the knockout phase following the penultimate round of fixtures as AEK Athens, Raków, Mainz, Rayo Vallecano, Shakhtar Donetsk and Sparta Praha all made sure of a top-24 finish.

UEFA.com wraps up the Matchday 5 action.

Shelbourne 0-3 Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace were clinical in seeing off their League of Ireland opponents thanks to three first-half strikes.

Christantus Uche opened the scoring with his first goal for the club, smashing in a pass from Eddie Nketiah, who then tapped in the second when Uche hit the post.

Yeremy Pino provided the goal of the night with a solo run from halfway before driving in from the edge of the penalty area.

Fiorentina 2-1 Dynamo Kyiv

The Viola returned to winning ways following successive defeats thanks to substitute Albert Gudmundsson's winner 16 minutes from time.

The hosts took an early lead when Moise Kean nodded in Dodô's pinpoint cross. However, Dynamo levelled soon after the interval via a stunning strike from Mykola Mykhailenko.

Both sides went in search of a decider, but it was Fiorentina replacement Gudmundsson who made the difference when a Kean header forced Ruslan Neshcheret into a smart save, the Icelandic international guiding in the rebound to give the Serie A outfit their third victory of the league phase.

Best of the rest

• Shakhtar, Raków, AEK Athens, Sparta Praha and Rayo Vallecano all won to extend their UEFA Conference League campaigns past the league phase, Mainz also progressing despite being held to a draw.
• Already-qualified Samsunspor's unbeaten start came to an end as AEK Athens fought back from 1-0 down to claim maximum points. An early Harold Moukoudi own goal put the Turkish side ahead, but a fine Răzvan Marin free-kick seven minutes after half-time was added to by Aboubakary Koita's stylish strike shortly after the hour.
• Strasbourg took advantage of Samsunspor's loss to leap to the head of the league phase standings thanks to a slender triumph away to Aberdeen that sealed a spot in the round of 16. Martial Godo applied a cool finish to Samuel Amo-Ameyaw's defence-splitting pass to send Liam Rosenior's side top, the Ligue 1 outfit even able to afford Ismaël Doukoure's missed penalty as Aberdeen goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov saved his spot kick.
• Mainz were unable to stay on the shoulders of the league phase pacesetters despite Sota Kawasaki's bundled 28th-minute opener away to Lech Poznań. Home skipper Mikael Ishak levelling from the spot just before the interval and Mainz ultimately holding on for a draw following Nikolas Veratschnig's dismissal midway through the second half.