August 28 2025

Fredrikstad 0-0 Palace

Crystal Palace booked their place in the league phase of the UEFA Conference League with a nervy 0-0 draw at Fredrikstad.

The South Londoners edged through courtesy of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first-leg strike at Selhurst Park last week.

The Eagles struggled to find their rhythm in Norway, with Glasner’s men unable to stamp their authority on the game in the way supporters would have hoped.

Mateta almost sealed it late on when clean through, only for his effort to be kept out by the outstretched leg of goalkeeper Martin Borsheim.

Fredrikstad, far more positive than in the first leg, pressed Palace higher up the pitch and created a couple of scares, most notably when Stiane Molde somehow failed to turn into an empty net after Dean Henderson misjudged a long throw.

Substitute Henrik Skogvold also fired wide deep into added time as the hosts threatened a late upset.

Palace, however, held on to extend their unbeaten run to 13 matches in all competitions, equalling the club’s record as a top-flight side. Despite Chris Richards' header wide and Mateta's stoppage time effort, the Eagles otherwise looked blunt in attack.

With Eberechi Eze now at Arsenal and goals proving hard to come by, Glasner will know reinforcements are badly needed to compete on multiple fronts.

Still, on the Austrian’s 51st birthday, he could at least celebrate Palace’s first-ever qualification for the group stage of a European competition.

It wasn’t pretty, but the job was done, and the Eagles can now look forward to their name being in the draw.

Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Sosa (Mitchell 78), Lerma, Wharton, Sarr, Kamada (Devenny 90), Mateta.

Not used: Matthews, Benitez, Clyne, Cardines, Esse.

Fredrikstad: Borsheim, S. Owusu (Kvile 70), Fredriksen, Woledzi, Eid, Metcalfe, L. Owusu (Bjartalid 70), Sorlokk (Hummelvoll-Nunez, 60), Molde, Ohlenschlaeger (Shein 81), Holten (Skogvold 60).

Not used: Ovretveit, Langbraten, Okpaleke, Rafn, Begby, Solberg, Granaas.