Mateta’s missed chances and a rookie error cost Palace in bruising European night at home

Crystal Palace were handed a brutal European lesson as their Conference League campaign hit its first stumbling block, undone by missed chances and a costly defensive error in a 1–0 defeat to AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park.

After sweeping aside Dynamo Kyiv in their debut European fixture, Palace were expected to cruise through their first home tie in the main draw. Instead, Oliver Glasner’s side endured a night of frustration and wastefulness that served as a sharp reminder of how unforgiving continental football can be.

The decisive moment came midway through the second half, when 19-year-old defender Jaydee Canvot, making just his second start for the club, gifted possession deep in his own half. Larnaca’s Marcus Rohdén pounced, feeding Riad Bajic, whose precise finish rocketed past Dean Henderson into the top corner.

It was a painful blow for Palace, who had dominated possession without reward. “We made one mistake and they punished us,” said Glasner afterwards. “The players will learn from it. It’s frustrating, but maybe the whole environment needed it — to stay humble.”

The atmosphere had been electric before kick-off. Palace fans unfurled a giant red-and-blue tifo inspired by the Dad’s Army theme tune, declaring: “We are the boys that will win your little game” — a cheeky nod to UEFA and the Conference League’s status as Europe’s third-tier tournament. But by the final whistle, the swagger had faded into silence.

Jean-Philippe Mateta embodied the evening’s misery. The French striker could have won it — twice. His first big chance came in the 21st minute when he fired against the crossbar from six yards after goalkeeper Zlatan Alomerovic spilled a routine save. Later, with the last kick of the game, he ballooned another golden opportunity wide, his frustration visible as he sank to the turf.

Between those misses, Palace pressed relentlessly but lacked the fluidity that powered their domestic form. Glasner had rested Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada to preserve energy during a gruelling stretch of six games in 18 days, and the absence of their creative spark was glaring. Without their first-choice midfield, Palace looked predictable and at times pedestrian.

Larnaca, fresh from demolishing Dutch side AZ Alkmaar 4–0 in their opener, arrived with confidence but set up deep, content to absorb pressure and strike on the break. It was a strategy that worked perfectly. The Cypriot side stayed compact, defended doggedly, and waited for their moment — which came when Canvot’s lapse gifted them the winner.

Palace’s best spell came immediately after the restart. Maxence Lacroix should have scored from close range when he met Will Hughes’s teasing cross, only to somehow miss the target. Minutes later, Larnaca made them pay. Glasner responded by hauling off Canvot for Eddie Nketiah and switching to a back four, but the change did little to alter the tide.

Mateta had another clear sight of goal late on but again failed to beat Alomerovic, whose commanding display frustrated Palace throughout. By the final whistle, the FA Cup winners looked weary and disjointed — a team still learning how to manage the rhythm of European competition.

Despite the defeat, Glasner remained composed. “We wanted to give our fans something special tonight,” he said. “Instead, we gave them a reminder — that every mistake at this level is punished. But we will grow from this.”

Palace still have the quality to progress, but this was a sobering reminder that European football is no place for complacency. Against a disciplined, opportunistic Larnaca, their confidence was dented, their focus tested, and their star striker left rueing the chances that got away.

From the highs of Kyiv to the humbling in Croydon — Palace’s European adventure just became very real.