Crystal Palace wins Conference League

Jean-Philippe Mateta became Crystal Palace’s hero as the English club defeated Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the Conference League final on Wednesday to win its first-ever European trophy. The victory also gave outgoing manager Oliver Glasner a perfect farewell before leaving the club at the end of the season. The match remained tense and goalless for most of the first half, with neither side managing a shot on target. Palace finally broke through in the 51st minute when Adam Wharton’s long-range effort was pushed away by Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla. Mateta reacted quickly and scored from the rebound to hand Palace the lead. The triumph capped off a memorable period for Palace under Glasner, who took charge in February 2024. After already guiding the club to its first major trophy through the FA Cup last season, the Austrian coach now leaves with a European title as well. Palace fans celebrated the occasion with a giant “Europa League: Boarding” banner before kickoff, as the win also secured the club a place in next season’s Europa League. Glasner admitted he now plans to follow the team’s journey from home next year. The result also kept English clubs on course for a clean sweep of Europe’s top competitions this season after Aston Villa won the Europa League and Arsenal reached the Champions League final. For Rayo Vallecano, it was a heartbreaking end to their first major European final. Some supporters were left in tears after the final whistle as their side fell just short against Palace. Rayo had a few opportunities, including Alemão’s early volley, while Palace nearly doubled the lead when Yeremy Pino’s free-kick struck both goalposts without going in. Despite their efforts, the Spanish side could not find an equaliser as Palace held on to make history.