Crystal Palace booked their place in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals after edging past Larnaca 2-1 on aggregate following a dramatic night that required extra-time.
It was a contest that had just about everything – two red cards, a late penalty scare for the visitors and ultimately a Palace player stepping up when needed, as Ismaila Sarr proved the difference-maker with two goals to keep their European dream alive.
The reward is a mouth-watering quarter-final against Fiorentina, a tie that will provide a significant step up in quality and a true test of Palace’s European credentials.
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Sarr scored twice in Cyprus
The Eagles started with intent and were rewarded when Sarr nipped in behind to open the scoring after 13 minutes.
Palace looked in control, moving the ball with purpose and pinning Larnaca back but as has often been the case in knockout football, control doesn’t always equal comfort and Palace were almost too comfortable.
Larnaca grew into the game and punished a lapse in concentration when Enric Saborit rose highest to power home a headed equaliser with less than 30 minutes to go.
The major turning point arrived in the second half when Saborit, already walking a disciplinary tightrope, pulled the shirt of Sarr. The referee had little hesitation in producing a second yellow card, reducing the Cypriot side to 10 men and handing Palace a numerical advantage for the closing stages.
Yet, despite the extra man, Palace struggled to find the killer blow in normal time. Larnaca defended resolutely, slowing the tempo and frustrating the hosts enough to take the contest into extra-time.
But that resistance would finally break when Sarr slammed home from close range after relentless pressure just nine minutes into extra-time.
Larnaca still rallied in the closing stages with the referee initially pointing to the penalty spot for a handball by Jean-Philippe Mateta. But after 20 seconds of confusion, and with help from VAR, the referee overturned his decision.
Petros Ioannou was then sent-off after a VAR review for a high challenge on Mateta to leave the hosts down to nine men. Even then Palace couldn’t finish them off as Sarr managed to hit the post following a counter-attack with the Larnaca goalkeeper up the pitch.
Despite the drama, Palace’s European adventure rolls on.
Glasner hails ‘huge achievement’ to reach quarters
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Palace celebrate their European journey continuing
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner hailed his side’s “huge achievement” in reaching the Conference League quarter-finals.
Glasner told TNT Sports: “I’m very pleased. It looks like in some games we make it very difficult for ourselves because I think after scoring the goal and controlling the game… and just giving them one set-play and not defending it well.
“You can’t make mistakes because then of course the stadium, the crowd was back, but I think the reaction was great and we played forward, really increased the pressure, and I think we could have decided it much earlier, we had plenty of chances at the end but if you just have to lead by one goal, everything can happen.
“We have seen with the set-play by the referee, he thought it was a handball. Fortunately, it was just JP’s [Jean-Philippe Mateta] thigh.
“But a huge achievement for us, a huge achievement for Crystal Palace playing the quarter-final of a European competition.”
Palace now have a three-week break before the first leg against Fiorentina, which will be at Selhurst Park on April 9.
Glasner confirmed Palace will play a friendly before the game against the two-time Conference League runners-up.
The Austrian said: “We are looking forward [to it] and now really make the best with these three weeks because our next competitive game is against Fiorentina at Selhurst Park.
“We will have a few days off here, and many of our players go to their national team, and then we will prepare, we will make a friendly to stay in the rhythm, and then it’s good.
“I expect Eddie Nketiah back so everybody will help us because then it will be a very tight schedule until the end of the season, and hopefully our European journey continues.”
Wharton excited to face ‘big club’ Fiorentina in quarters
Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton says it is “exciting” to face “big club” Fiorentina in the Conference League quarter-finals.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Wharton said of facing Fiorentina, who sit 16th in Serie A: “It’s exciting. A quarter-final of a European competition, it’s a massive thing.
“A lot of us players haven’t played in Europe before, Crystal Palace haven’t, so it’s a great chance for us, the club, the fans to go there.
“Fiorentina are a big club. I think pretty much everyone will know who they are. They’re a big club in Italy, and it’ll be a great challenge for us, and hopefully we can go there and get through to the next round.”
Wharton also praised Palace’s two-goal hero Sarr.
“He’s been top,” he said. “He’s been doing well in the Premier League as well.
“He’s scoring a lot of goals, getting a lot of assists, and he’s so quick. So, especially against these teams, if you get that little bit of space in behind, because they’re so compact, it works wonders having him. So we’re really happy to have him.”
Asked what Palace are learning about their European knockout ties, the England international replied: “I think a big part of it is game management, making sure you don’t go a goal down, because when you do, it’s very difficult and they go even deeper than they already start.
“And just trying to prevent their counter-attacks. We did it quite a lot last year in the Premier League, and we got a lot of joy from it, sitting deep and hitting on the counter, and that’s where a lot of our success came from. In this competition, it’s been a lot more of us in possession, trying to break down the low blocks. So it’s been a different tactical side of the game.”
When are the knockout stages?
Quarter-finals: April 9 and 16
Semi-finals: April 30 and May 7
Final: May 27 [Red Bull Arena, Leipzig]