Leipzig, May 28 (IANS) Crystal Palace beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the UEFA Conference League final to claim their first European trophy and give manager Oliver Glasner the perfect send-off in his final match in charge of the club.

The result means Palace qualify for the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League.

After a tense first-half, Jean-Philippe Mateta found the breakthrough in the 51st minute, right in front of the Palace end. It proved to be enough. The Eagles defending magnificently throughout the second-half to keep a clean sheet, winning a third trophy in the last year.

Alemao flicked Pep Chavarria’s cross wide on 25 minutes, and Unai López then drove beyond the same upright when Alvaro Garcia presented him with the ball on the edge of the box. The Eagles then snatched at the best first-half opening, the busy Tyrick Mitchell making an imperfect headed connection with Adam Wharton’s added-time cross.

Palace then sprang a surprise early in the second half, Wharton taking the ball forward and shooting from the edge of the box when a pass looked more likely. Augusto Batalla got down to block, but the lurking Jean-Philippe Mateta was perfectly placed to force the rebound in.

However, another loose ball went begging soon afterwards, no one able to get the final touch after a Yeremy Pino free-kick cannoned off both posts, and Palace were quickly thwarted again, Batalla defying Mateta as he bore down on goal.

Rayo sprang back off the ropes and Palace battled to keep them at arm’s length in the closing stages. Iñigo Pérez’s side kept up the pace and tried – not without success – to cause panic in the English side’s penalty area. Clean hits, though, were hard to come by and when Alemao crashed wide in the final moments, the game was up.

Palace forward Mateta said after the win, “I feel fantastic! I feel fantastic! We did it! First time in Europe and we did it. Now I just want to celebrate. We gave everything. I told you about the intensity they will have and I am tired right now, I gave everything. That’s why we won.”

Glory in Germany was a fitting farewell for Glasner, who announced in January he would leave the club when his contract expired at the end of this season.

The Austrian joined Palace in February 2024 when they were 15th in the Premier League table, five points above the relegation zone.

But he led the club to a top-half finish, before their historic FA Cup triumph the following year, which saw them qualify for their first major European competition – one they have now won.

Glasner, who also lifted the FA Community Shield in August, told TNT Sports, “It was a fantastic evening. This group of players, this club, these fans deserve to win the Conference League. That’s why I’m really, really pleased tonight.

“The players have given me great, incredible days in my life. They trusted in me, they believed in what I told them, and they worked so hard.”

–IANS

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