Crystal Palace defeated nine-a-side AEK Larnaca 2-1 in further time to advance to the Convention League quarter-finals.
Ismaila Sarr’s opening objective was canceled out by Enric Savorit and he was despatched off, however the Senegalese ahead scored once more in further time to arrange a last-eight conflict with Serie A’s Fiorentina.
Palace had failed to attain of their earlier two video games in opposition to Larnaca this season, however this time they made the breakthrough after simply 13 minutes, when Sarr received on the top of a deflected go from Adam Wharton and stole the ball previous the keeper.
Maxence Lacroix missed a golden probability to double Palace’s lead simply earlier than half-time, heading straight at Zlatan Alomelovic from contained in the six-yard field, however Sarr had two pictures huge after the break.
There have been two large developments within the second leg simply after the hour mark, when Savolit headed house the underside left nook from Marcus Roden’s nook, after which obtained a second yellow card for a foul on Sarr whereas the Palace winger was racing on the again.
Larnaca led the match past regular time, however Sarr sealed the win for the Eagles within the 99th minute when Daichi Kamata’s low cross was was the objective by Sarr.
Close to the top of additional time, Larnaca thought that they had been awarded a penalty after a handball by Jean-Philippe Mateta, however the handball was overturned by VAR, and there was additionally an unsightly scene when a fan threw a cup onto the pitch.
Issues received even worse for the hosts as Petros Ioannou was proven a straight purple card for an ill-advised problem on Mateta. It was at that second that Sarr tried to take a free kick that hit the suitable put up regardless of the goalkeeper being fired.
European journey continues pic.twitter.com/ZhKWU7mUm3
— Crystal Palace FC (@CPFC) March 19, 2026
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It was in the end a well-deserved victory for Palace, who had 3.18 Anticipated Objectives (xG) on 29 pictures after Sarr and Jorgen Strand Larsen hit the woodwork in further time. Larnaca, however, had a goals-against common of 0.28 on 6 pictures.
And it was an impressed efficiency from Sarr, who did every thing in his energy to make sure the Eagles’ breakthrough. He had probably the most pictures within the match (12), which equated to Palace’s xG of 1.49, and likewise recorded probably the most touches within the field (11) and most profitable dribbles (2).
Oliver Glasner’s crew had 70.2% possession within the match. It was the primary time Palace had gained a recreation with a minimum of 65% possession within the Convention League.
