Palace Edge Fredrikstad to Reach Conference League Groups
Crystal Palace have officially booked their spot in the group stage of the UEFA Conference League, though the manner of their qualification left plenty to be desired. A goalless draw away to Norwegian side Fredrikstad on Thursday night was enough for the Eagles, who advanced 1–0 on aggregate thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s strike in the first leg at Selhurst Park.
The match in Norway was tense rather than thrilling. Fredrikstad, who had struggled to make much of an impression in London last week, came out with more intent in front of their home supporters. They pressed higher, attacked with energy, and even carved out some decent opportunities. A near miss from Stiane Molde after Dean Henderson failed to gather the ball had the home crowd on its feet, while substitute Henrik Skogvold fired wide late in stoppage time. For all their effort, though, the Norwegian side lacked a cutting edge in the final third.
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Palace, meanwhile, were organized but far from convincing. Manager Oliver Glasner, celebrating his 51st birthday, watched his team defend resolutely but struggle to create. Their best moment came in added time when Mateta broke free, only to be denied by goalkeeper Martin Borsheim. Chris Richards also flicked a header wide earlier on, but genuine chances were few. The tie was managed more than won, with the Eagles relying on their first-leg advantage.
It wasn’t pretty, and several pundits pointed that out. Former Palace striker Glenn Murray admitted he expected the visitors to control the game better, while ex-defender Joel Ward described the display as “professional but underwhelming.” Glasner himself acknowledged that the team lost the ball too often and needed to improve in possession, but he was quick to stress that the real achievement was reaching the group stage — one of the club’s main goals this season after already lifting the Community Shield.
The result also extended Palace’s unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions, equaling a club record. For the first time in their history, they will compete in the group phase of a European competition, even if that chance came only after being demoted from the Europa League due to multi-club ownership rules. Defender Chris Richards summed it up best, saying, “It wasn’t pretty but we got the result we needed. Now it’s time to win some games in Europe.”
Attention now shifts to Friday’s draw, where Palace will learn their opponents for this new chapter in their European journey. Domestically, their next test comes quickly, with a Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Sunday. Fans may still be calling for reinforcements and sharper attacking play, but the bottom line is clear: Crystal Palace are through, history has been made, and the European adventure continues.
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