Shakhtar draw at AZ to cruise into Conference League semis

TL;DR

Shakhtar Donetsk drew 2-2 at AZ Alkmaar, advancing to the UEFA Conference League semi-finals with a 5-2 aggregate win. Alisson Santana scored first for Shakhtar, while AZ's late goals weren't enough to secure a comeback.

Key points

Shakhtar Donetsk drew 2-2 at AZ Alkmaar
Shakhtar advanced with a 5-2 aggregate win
Alisson Santana scored for Shakhtar
AZ Alkmaar scored twice late in the match
Shakhtar will face Crystal Palace or Fiorentina next

Shakhtar DonetskAZ AlkmaarCrystal PalaceFiorentina

AZ Alkmaar defender Bendeguz Kovacs and FC Shakhtar's Valeriy Bondar fight for the ball in the UEFA Conference League quarter-final second leg in Alkmaar on April 16, 2026 (Koen van Weel) (Koen van Weel/ANP/AFP) Shakhtar Donetsk drew 2-2 at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday as the Ukrainian side progressed to the UEFA Conference League semi-finals with a 5-2 aggregate win. Already three goals to the good ahead of their trip to the Netherlands, Shakhtar had seemed like they would book their last four berth in style when Alisson Santana opened the scoring at AZ Stadion shortly before the hour. Isak Jensen and Matej Sin hit back for the hosts inside the final 20 minutes, but it was too little, too late as Luca Meirelles' 83rd-minute equaliser extinguished any hopes of a dramatic comeback. Shakhtar will next face the winners of Crystal Palace's tie with Fiorentina, which takes place later Thursday. The Premier League side looked poised to book that semi-final spot as they travel to Tuscany with a 3-0 aggregate lead after the first leg at Selhurst Park. Elsewhere, Rayo Vallecano visit AEK Athens, also with a 3-0 first-leg advantage, and Strasbourg host Mainz with the home side looking to overturn a 2-0 deficit. nf/ea

Q&A

What was the final score of the Shakhtar vs AZ Alkmaar match?

The final score was 2-2, with Shakhtar Donetsk winning 5-2 on aggregate.

Who scored the goals for Shakhtar Donetsk in the match against AZ Alkmaar?

Alisson Santana scored the opening goal for Shakhtar Donetsk.

Who will Shakhtar Donetsk face in the UEFA Conference League semi-finals?

Shakhtar will face the winner of the tie between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina.