Crystal Palace made history on Thursday night as they secured their first-ever appearance in the group stage of a European competition, edging past Norwegian side Fredrikstad with a narrow 1-0 aggregate victory in the UEFA Conference League play-offs.
Oliver Glasner’s men arrived at the Nye Fredrikstad Stadion holding a slender lead thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s strike in the first leg at Selhurst Park. They clung onto that advantage despite a nervy and uninspiring performance in Norway, which saw them held to a goalless draw.
Palace struggle to impose themselves
The visitors failed to find their rhythm in attack, continuing a theme from the early weeks of the season where goals have been difficult to come by. With Eberechi Eze having departed for Arsenal this summer and little creativity on display, Palace were again reliant on their defensive organisation rather than attacking flair.
Marc Guehi, still at the club despite speculation linking him with a move away, marshalled the backline well, while goalkeeper Dean Henderson dealt with the limited threats that came his way. But Palace were far from comfortable, as Fredrikstad grew in confidence and pushed for a famous upset.
Stiane Molde missed the hosts’ best chance of the evening when Henderson flapped at a cross and left the net gaping, only for the midfielder to miscue from close range. Substitute Henrik Skogvold also went close late on, firing wide in stoppage time as Fredrikstad piled on late pressure.
For Palace, Mateta remained their most dangerous outlet. The French striker almost killed off the tie in added time when he broke clear, only to see his shot blocked by goalkeeper Martin Borsheim. Earlier, defender Chris Richards flicked a header narrowly wide in one of few moments of attacking promise.
Fredrikstad’s brave showing
The Norwegian outfit, cheered on by a lively home crowd, showed much greater attacking intent than they had in London. Emil Holten provided a physical presence up front and forced the Palace defenders into a series of battles, while Daniel Eid’s long throws gave the Eagles some anxious moments.
Ultimately, though, Fredrikstad lacked the cutting edge required to turn possession into goals, and Palace’s resilience saw them through.
Glasner’s milestone night
For Glasner, the result was significant on a personal and professional level. On his 51st birthday, he guided the club into uncharted European territory while also extending their unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions – equalling a club record as a top-flight side.
However, the Austrian coach will know there is work to be done. His team have scored just once in their two Premier League matches so far, and their lack of sharpness in the final third was glaring again in Norway. Without fresh attacking solutions, the Eagles may find themselves struggling when they face stronger European opposition.
What comes next
Palace’s reward is a place in Friday’s Conference League group stage draw, where they will discover their opponents. The competition features 24 play-off winners and 12 clubs dropping down from the Europa League, meaning challenges will only intensify from here.
Attention now turns back to domestic matters, with a trip to Aston Villa on Sunday evening in the Premier League. Glasner’s men will hope to rediscover some attacking rhythm before their European adventure continues.
While the performance in Fredrikstad left much to be desired, the result alone will go down in Palace history. For a club long accustomed to relegation battles and mid-table finishes, the prospect of European nights at Selhurst Park is a landmark achievement – and an opportunity supporters will savour.
