AZ outclassed by Crystal Palace in 3-1 UEFA Conference League Defeat

AZ Outclassed by Crystal Palace in UEFA Conference League

AZ suffered a 3-1 defeat against Premier League side Crystal Palace on Thursday in the UEFA Conference League. Despite the loss, luck prevented Palace from extending their lead further at Selhorst Park.

Early Chances and Missed Penalty

Crystal Palace, who qualified by winning the English FA Cup, opened the scoring opportunities early. In the 11th minute, a long ball was headed back into the box by Chris Richards, allowing Ismaila Sarr to volley, but his shot struck the post.

Shortly after, Palace was awarded a penalty following a through ball by Yeremy Pino that reached Sarr via Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro. However, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty was saved by Owusu-Oduro.

Palace's Persistent Pressure

Following the missed penalty, Crystal Palace intensified their attacks. Owusu-Oduro made an impressive save on a header from Sarr, and Will Hughes’ volley hit the crossbar moments later.

Palace Takes the Lead

This pressure paid off as the home side scored first. A long ball into the box was nodded down by Sarr to center back Maxine Lacroix, who executed a low, powerful volley into the corner.

AZ's Response

AZ tested Palace’s goalkeeper Dean Henderson near the end of the first half. Sven Mijnans’ shot from outside the area was skillfully saved by the 28-year-old keeper just before Palace doubled their lead.

"Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has a good record from penalties, saw his effort saved by Owusu-Oduro."

Crystal Palace's dominance was evident throughout the match, showing their strength in European competition.

Summary: Crystal Palace demonstrated superior form, dominating AZ to secure a confident 3-1 win in the UEFA Conference League match.

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NL Times NL Times — 2025-11-07

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