Crystal Palace moved up to ninth in the Conference League league phase as they produced a professional performance to beat AZ Alkmaar 3-1.
In his programme notes, Eagles manager Oliver Glasner made it clear his side needed to respond with a win after a surprise defeat to AEK Larnaca in their last European outing, but in the early stages of Thursday's contest it looked like the well-drilled Eredivisie side were going to make them work very hard for it.
Then the momentum shifted. Moments after Ismaila Sarr rattled the post, Palace were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro fouled the Senegal international.
After a lengthy VAR determined Sarr was onside, Jean-Philippe Mateta aimed for the bottom-right corner but his tame spot-kick was pushed away with relative ease.
Jean-Philippe Mateta's penalty was saved by Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro
Image: Jean-Philippe Mateta's penalty was saved by Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro
Sarr then forced a superb save and Will Hughes' volley came back off the crossbar, before VAR intervened again after Maxence Lacroix fired in a fierce half-volley. Mateta appeared to try and attack Marc Guehi's downward header before Lacroix struck it.
After a check that lasted two minutes and 54 seconds, it was confirmed neither had strayed offside in the build-up.
Maxence Lacroix put Crystal Palace in front
Image: Maxence Lacroix put Crystal Palace in front
Palace hit a deserved second in first-half stoppage time, when Sarr prodded home after head tennis followed Yeremy Pino's floated free-kick. Again, only after a VAR check for a potential offside was the goal confirmed.
Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr scores their second goal against AZ Alkmaar
Image: Sarr has now scored eight goals in all competitions this term
AZ pulled one back nine minutes after the restart, when Sven Mijnans hit a deflected shot past Dean Henderson after Palace were caught on the break.
But with play having barely restarted, the hosts restored their two-goal advantage when Sarr clinically found the back of the net after a peach of a pass from Mateta - and from there, there was no way back for the Dutch side.
Story of the match in stats
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