Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace lead their UEFA Conference League play-off tie, after a 1-0 win on home soil at Selhurst Park.
For much of the first half Palace struggled to break down a well organised Fredrikstad side as the two sides went into the break at 0-0.
However, it was Jean-Philippe Mateta to score Palace’s first goal in their Conference League campaign.
Palace will travel to Norway hoping to secure their place in the league phase of the competition.
In the 2024/25 Premier League season, according to Fotmob, Palace averaged 42.6% possession per game. This was not the case in the Conference League tie as Palace saw more of the ball than their opponents recording 74% possession, with the visitors adopting a low block.
Booms across the continent coming soon?
Since his arrival in February of 2024, Oliver Glasner has drastically improved Jean-Philippe Mateta’s end product.
He has also completely transformed him as a footballer who is confident in front of goal.
The Frenchman has great physical presence and aerial ability due to his strong and powerful play with the ball. He can also create chances and play clever passes as a result of his good hold up play.
Mateta’s goal came on the 54th minute as he got on the end of a Will Hughes volley to flick it into the back net.
Jean-Philippe Mateta kicks the corner flag in celebration. (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
The Frenchman has shown at Palace that he loves a big moment.
His first Palace goal was scored against rivals Brighton, and he also scored two penalties against Liverpool in the Community Shield victory (one in regular time one in the shootout).
With Eddie Nketiah sidelined because of an injury, if the Eagles are to make the league phase expect Mateta to be in the starting eleven for the opening games.
Palace missed the Eze X Factor
Eberechi Eze’s place in the side is now very much up for grabs.
The 27-year-old is set to sign for Arsenal and Justin Devenny started in his place on Thursday night.
Eberechi Eze, Justin Devenny, Daniel Munoz and Matheus Franca. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)
Eze was expected to start this European game but rung up his manager Oliver Glasner on Thursday morning due to illness.
It would have been a rather poetic last game for the Englishman after he scored the winner in Palace’s 1-0 FA Cup success to earn Europe.
However, after the Fredrikstad win Glasner confirmed to the media that Eze will not play for the club again and it is time to move on. Chairman Steve Parish also addressed his exit stating, “the king is dead, long live the king.”
Palace will look to sign someone who possesses similar speed and trickery to Eze before the end of the window to play in the left attacking midfield role.
Devenny by trade is more of a number ‘eight’ with good work rate as he can cover ground and win duels.
At times the Eagles struggled against the low block of the Norwegian cup winners and Devenny only created one chance while his two shots were not on target.
It is imperative that Crystal Palace are active in the remainder of the transfer window
Crystal Palace simply must sign numerous players before the end of the transfer window to have a chance of matching their successes of last season, and for a chance to reach new heights.
The manager had requested that his transfer business was done early but this once again is not the case. Only Fulham have spent less than the Eagles this summer.
Last year **Matt Turner, Trevoh Chalobah, Maxence Lacroix**and Eddie Nketiah were all signed on the final two days of the transfer window closing. Palace are understood to be looking to bring in two forwards before the end of the window.
Recently there has been rumours of a move for **Bilal El Khannouss**and Tyler Dibling. Hwang Hee Chan may also be brought in on loan.
With captain Marc Guehi heavily linked with a move away from South London, Palace are also understood to be looking to add depth in the centre back position.
Marc Guehi. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
There was a brief moment against Fredrikstad where Will Hughes went down holding his leg and had to walk off his knock. If he had been substituted, Palace had no midfield options on the bench with Cheick Doucoure and [**Daichi Kamada](https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2025/07/24/crystal-palace/1228461-crawleytown-vs-crystal-palace-pre-season-friendly-preview-2025.html)**injured, and Jefferson Lerma and Devenny playing out of position.
Sosa is one of two summer signings that Palace have made this window, and he made his competitive debut for the Eagles in the UEFA Conference League game.
The Croatian wing back tended to get forward excellently doing as a Glasner wing back is required to.
He caused a constant threat to the right-hand side of the Aristokratene defence and looked like he could unlock the low block.
The new signing has a vision as he released 13 crosses into the box, more than any other Palace player, and once there is more movement into the box expect these to become more accurate.
Borna Sosa of Crystal Palace. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)