Crystal Palace’s long-awaited home bow in a major European competition did not unfold as planned, as Oliver Glasner’s men fell 1-0 to AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park.
The evening had been billed as a landmark in the club’s 101-year history — their first European tie on home soil. Anticipation filled the air around Selhurst station and the ground itself, where fans packed every seat, singing Glasner’s name and celebrating last season’s FA Cup triumph.
Before kick-off, the Holmesdale End revealed a striking tifo inspired by Dad’s Army, charting Palace’s imagined route from south London to the Conference League final in Leipzig. A banner underneath boldly declared, “We are the boys who will win your little game.”
Selhurst Park had become something of a stronghold, with Palace unbeaten there since February in all competitions. Yet, that confidence did not translate onto the pitch, as their display fell short of expectations.
Chances wasted, lesson delivered
Despite dominating much of the match, Palace lacked precision in attack. They managed 15 attempts on goal but forced only one save from the visiting goalkeeper.
Jean-Philippe Mateta came closest early on, striking the bar with an acrobatic volley, while substitute Eddie Nketiah squandered a golden chance late on, miscuing from close range when the equalizer seemed certain.
Reflecting on the defeat, Glasner suggested it might serve as a necessary wake-up call. “You are always told when you play in the Premier League you win the Conference League,” he said. “Stay humble. I don’t know if any debutant can win it. Maybe the whole environment needed this to stay grounded.”
The Austrian coach admitted the loss felt familiar, saying it was “a little bit déjà vu” as his players again failed to convert dominance into goals and paid the price.
Recent struggles continue
The setback extended Palace’s winless streak to three matches, following a 2-1 defeat to Everton that ended their club-record 19-game unbeaten run and a 3-3 draw with Bournemouth.
In each of those fixtures, the Eagles showed control in periods but could not make it count, a recurring issue that reappeared against their Cypriot visitors.
AEK Larnaca — who had only twice faced English opposition before, losing 6-0 on aggregate to West Ham in 2023 — took full advantage of a Palace mistake.
The breakthrough arrived six minutes after the restart when defender Jaydee Canvot’s misplaced pass was intercepted by Marcus Rohden, who teed up Riad Bajic to blast home from close range.
“We didn’t score, they did”
Captain Marc Guehi summed up the match succinctly when speaking to TNT Sports: “They scored, we didn’t — it’s that simple.”
He praised the visitors’ disciplined approach, noting that Larnaca “sat back, defended well, and frustrated us,” before stressing the importance of learning from such experiences.
“These European nights are challenging no matter who you face,” Guehi added. “We have to take this as an opportunity to improve.”
Glasner and his players will now aim to respond quickly, knowing their dream European campaign has started with a dose of realism.
