Summary
Crystal Palace suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat away to Strasbourg in their UEFA Conference League encounter on Thursday, as Liam Rosenior’s men let a first-half advantage slip, allowing the French side to extend their unbeaten run in the competition.
Tyrick Mitchell put Palace in front after guiding home a well-worked move, and the visitors almost doubled their advantage when Ismaila Sarr struck the inside of the post, with Strasbourg goalkeeper Mike Penders stranded far from his goal.
Emanuel Emegha levelled the score for Strasbourg shortly after the restart, sliding the ball in at the far post after Diego Moreira sent in a low cross that eluded the Palace defence.
Adam Wharton came agonisingly close to restoring Palace’s lead when he rattled the crossbar with Penders again well out of position after Strasbourg gave the ball away near their own penalty area.
Penders redeemed himself minutes later with a superb stop to keep out Yeremy Pino. Strasbourg immediately capitalised, racing forward and taking the lead when teenager Samir El Mourabet converted a rebound after Julio Enciso’s free-kick cannoned off the upright.
The victory lifted Strasbourg to 10 points, placing them level with Samsunspor at the top of the group after the Turkish side could only manage a 2-2 draw against Breidablik of Iceland.
Palace sit 18th in the table, recording two wins and two losses from their first four matches in their debut full European campaign.
They remain just two points away from the top eight, a position that guarantees automatic progression to the last 16. The English side still have upcoming fixtures against Shelbourne of Ireland and Finnish club KuPS.
What You Should Know
Crystal Palace’s strong start in France wasn’t enough to secure points, as defensive lapses and missed chances allowed Strasbourg to overturn the early lead.
The loss complicates Palace’s quest for knockout-stage qualification, though they remain within touching distance with two matches left to play.
