Crystal Palace secured a slender advantage in their Conference League play-off against Norwegian side Fredrikstad, winning 1-0 at Selhurst Park.
Jean-Philippe Mateta netted the sole goal in what marked Palace’s inaugural major European fixture.
Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal of the match
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Reuters
Palace manager Oliver Glasner watched his side struggle to create clear-cut opportunities throughout a frustrating evening.
The victory gives Palace a narrow lead heading into next week’s return fixture.
The south London club will need to defend their advantage when they travel to Norway for the decisive second leg on 28 August.
The match was significantly affected by Eberechi Eze’s last-minute withdrawal from the squad.
The influential forward was omitted as he prepares to complete a transfer to Arsenal.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner disclosed that Eze felt “not ready to play” on the morning of the historic European tie.
The player chose not to attend the match at Selhurst Park, missing the opportunity to say goodbye to supporters.
Justin Devenny came in as a late substitute for Eze in the starting eleven. The absence of Palace’s creative spark left the home side lacking their usual attacking fluidity, forcing them to adopt a more direct approach against their Norwegian opponents.
Palace resorted to hopeful crosses and long-range efforts as they searched for a breakthrough. The home side’s persistence nearly paid off in the first half when Mateta struck the post with a deflected attempt.
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Eberechi Eze pulled out of the squad late in the day with Arsenal closing in on a deal for the Crystal Palace star
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REUTERSIsmaila Sarr also came close, drawing an impressive stop from the Fredrikstad goalkeeper.
Despite maintaining heavy pressure before the interval, Palace couldn’t find a way past the well-organised Norwegian defence.
The Eagles’ approach remained unchanged after half-time, continuing to rely on speculative attempts rather than intricate build-up play.
Their lack of creativity without Eze was evident as they struggled to fashion clear scoring opportunities against determined opposition.
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Oliver Glasner admitted Eberechi Eze was not in the right frame of mind to play
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ReutersThe breakthrough finally arrived when Mateta cleverly redirected Will Hughes’ wayward attempt past the goalkeeper using his head.
The French striker demonstrated excellent positioning to convert what appeared to be an off-target effort into the winning goal.
Daniel Munoz nearly doubled Palace’s advantage late on, striking the woodwork with a header. The near-miss means Fredrikstad retain hope of overturning the deficit when Palace visit Norway next Thursday.
The Conference League anthem was met with boos from the Selhurst Park faithful before kick-off.
Supporters also voiced their displeasure with anti-UEFA chants, clearly disappointed at competing in Europe’s third-tier competition after being relegated from the Europa League.