Crystal Palace forced into Conference League play offs after being thwarted by feisty Finns at Selhurst Park
- JULIAN TAYLOR AT SELHURST PARK
- 4 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Crystal Palace 2Â KuPS Kuopio 2
The night was punctured with some class, some quiet desperation and surprise – but Crystal Palace will have to negotiate the Uefa Conference League playoffs, after a 2-2 draw against KuPS Kuopio.
Palace almost paid for long spells of going through the motions - albeit with a starting side which was largely an unfamiliar one – but they did eventually salvage a point.
It is, though, insufficient to book a place into the automatic stage next March. The Eagles finish 10th in the table and will be obliged to endure the stress of a play off tie in February.
Christantus Uche netted early on with a superb strike, and it seemed like Oliver Glasner’s side were on course for a fairly comfortable evening against the Finns, only to concede a brace early into the second half via Piotr Parzyszek and Ibrahim Cisse. Following a red card for KuPS’ Clinton Antwi, Justin Devenny spared a few blushes to level the contest.
Uche opened up with a splash. The 22 year old, who arrived in south London in September, may still have a certain rawness, but having added to his goal a week ago against Shelbourne in Dublin, perhaps the Eagles’ loan with obligation to buy from Getafe will bear fruit in order to share the workload in the final third with Jean-Philippe Mateta.
This was, incidentally, the last game for manager Jarkko Wiss in charge of the Finnish side from the country’s lakelands. He is poised to take over at domestic rivals Seinäjoen Jalkapallokerho.
Wiss will doubtless rue the lack of potency and devilment from his team, the ‘Yellow-Blacks’, on their trip to London. KuPS, who won the Veikkausliiga last term, looked hesitant going forward in the first half. Uche’s early breakthrough in the tie, going against their anticipated script, drew some understandable caution, despite having some neat technicians on board. Things altered in the Finns’ favour.
Testy
Palace have had mixed Conference League fortunes in their maiden campaign after an eventful FA Cup winning year. Deliberately makeshift side or not on this particular occasion, all the Euro fare is something everyone at the club – not least its fans – is relishing. Across the League phase, victories over Dynamo Kiev, AZ Alkmaar and Shelbourne have been offset with defeats to AEK Larnaca and Strasbourg, hence the testy significance of this final game.
Glasner – who guided Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League in 2022 - spoke extensively in the build-up about having to negotiate a compressed schedule at this time of year. Mindful of the fact that the Eagles have a tough Premier League game on Saturday night at Leeds United, the turnaround and physical demands on his players are notable.
However, a rare European night under south London lights is fine motivation for the more greenhorn faces such as George King, Joel Drakes-Thomas and Kaden Rodney. For the graduates of Crystal Palace's academy, this was a really big opportunity to demonstrate their potential first team worth to boss Glasner. The more familiar Jefferson Lerma was skipper at the heart of the defence, Devenny brought experience to central areas, while plenty of the standard, experienced Eagles, like Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton and Eddie Nketiah were on standby.
Of course, it is always risky to make wholesale alterations, even allowing for a busy festive period – but Glasner was temporarily vindicated when his men went ahead with five minutes gone.
Uche picked the ball up from a pass by Devenny, took a couple of forward strides before unleashing a delightful bend of the ball with outside of the right foot into the far corner of the net. An effortless and sublime slice of technique by the attacking midfielder, on loan from Getafe. The sheer quality of the finish sparked instant echoes of departed stars such as Ebere Eze and Michael Olise.
If Palace controllled the tempo of the opening 45 minutes, there was little else to stir the spirits, save for the odd half chance here and there.
Complacency
No-one at Selhurst Park anticipated what was to follow, immediately after the restart – the Eagles’ sliver of complacency was punished by the Finns, with their first efforts on target, within three minutes.
The leveller arrived when KuPS’ striker Parzyszek swept the ball with accuracy and no little contempt, into the top corner, after fastening on to a cut back across goal from Saku Savolainen to stun Palace. This was most unexpected, from an oufit, lurking 18th in the Conference League table. Yet from the perspective of any European purist, the game needed such a spark.
Incredibly, the Finns, so diffident beforehand, grabbed a second goal in the 52nd minute, much to the delight of their 900-strong boisterous band of travelling fans.
From a corner which the hosts only half cleared, Cisse stuck a leg out to divert a shot from Clinton Antwi beyond Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez, for the ball to spin into the net. Parzyszek even had an effort ruled out for offside as KuPS unforeseen appetite for precision took hold.
The character of this shadow Eagles’ side was officially being challenged - and Glasner’s midfield were not stamping any real superiority on events, losing possession and lacking fibre.
That said, Palace earned a break of sorts, when Antwi saw red in the 73rd minute. The KuPS defender, from no real position of danger, chopped down Will Hughes. It proved to be the turning point, to an extent, when the home side equalised a minute later.
Arriving at just the right time to reach a cross from the left by Tyrick Mitchell, Devenny powered home a header from seven yards, the Northern Ireland international determined to be first to the invitation. Suddenly realising the significance of the night, a more urgent Palace threw the kitchen sink at the situation, to no avail with visiting keeper Johannes Kreid and his defence excelling.
His team missing out by a point from the top tier, Glasner will surely feel disappointment. KuPS are the ones to emerge with hard-fought credit.
Eagles: Benitez, Lerma (Guehi 62), Uche (Mateta 76), Esse, Canvot, Sosa (Mitchell 62), Rodney, Devenny, King (Nketiah 76), Benamar (Hughes 62), Drakes-Thomas
