Shakhtar Donetsk are through to the UEFA Conference League semi-finals! The Ukrainian side secured their spot with a composed 2-2 draw away at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, sealing an emphatic 5-2 aggregate victory.

Carrying a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg, Shakhtar looked to be cruising when Alisson Santana found the net just before the hour mark, seemingly putting the tie to bed. However, AZ staged a late fightback with goals from Isak Jensen and Matej Sin, setting up a tense final 20 minutes.

Any hopes of a miraculous Dutch comeback were swiftly extinguished by Luca Meirelles, who coolly slotted home an 83rd-minute equalizer to confirm Shakhtar's passage. The result marks another impressive European step for a club that has shown remarkable resilience.

Shakhtar now awaits their semi-final opponent, which will be the winner of the clash between Crystal Palace and Fiorentina. The Premier League's Palace head to Italy with a firm 3-0 aggregate advantage, putting them in the driver's seat for a historic European semi-final berth.

In the night's other quarter-final deciders, Rayo Vallecano defends a 3-0 lead at AEK Athens, while Strasbourg faces a tough task at home against Mainz, needing to overcome a 2-0 first-leg deficit. The road to Athens for the final is heating up!