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Palace got the better of the Cypriot club 2-1 and will face Fiorentina in the quarter-finals after the Italian club secured a 4-2 aggregate win at Rakow Czestochowa in Poland.
Crustal Palace players celebrates after Ismaila Sarr, far right, scored his side’s first goal during the Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between AEK Larnaca and Chrystal Palace in Larnaca, Cyprus, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Ismaila Sarr scored twice, enabling Crystal Palace to reach the Conference League quarter-finals with a 2-1 extra-time victory over AEK Larnaca in Cyprus, matching the aggregate score.
Palace will face Fiorentina, the two-time Conference League runners-up, in the quarter-finals after the Italian club secured a 2-1 win at Rakow Czestochowa in Poland, achieving a 4-2 aggregate triumph.
Despite a challenging season marked by the departure of centre-back Marc Guehi to Manchester City and the announcement of manager Oliver Glasner’s end-of-season exit, Palace are still in the race to add to their first major trophy, the FA Cup won last season, in their inaugural European campaign.
“It’s a huge achievement,” Glasner told TNT Sports. “We are looking forward to making the most of these three weeks since our next competitive game is against Fiorentina at Selhurst Park.”
Palace fielded a strong team for the second leg of the last-16, following two wins in four recent matches that eased their Premier League relegation worries.
The visitors took the lead in the 13th minute when Sarr, played in by Adam Wharton’s deflected pass, coolly rounded the advancing goalkeeper Zlatan Alomerovic and scored into an empty net.
Sarr thought he had doubled the lead shortly after but was flagged offside.
Despite Palace’s sustained pressure, Larnaca managed to stay in the contest and equalised 18 minutes into the second half through Enric Saborit’s header. Saborit was later sent off in the 73rd minute after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Sarr, but the hosts held on to force extra time.
With 10 men, Larnaca couldn’t hold Palace until penalties. Sarr scored in the 99th minute from Daichi Kamada’s pullback after a short corner. Palace looked more likely to score a fourth goal as Sarr hit the crossbar and Jorgen Strand Larsen headed against the post, with Larsen and Jean-Philippe Mateta failing to convert the rebound.
Larnaca defender Petros Ioannou was dismissed late for a foul on Mateta, but Palace had to survive a nervous late set-piece to avoid a shoot-out.
Strasbourg needed a 71st-minute goal from Valentin Barco to win 2-1 on aggregate against Croatian side Rijeka and reach the quarter-finals of a major continental tournament for the first time since the 1979-80 European Cup.
The away team had equalised in the tie through Toni Fruk midway through the first half.
Gary O’Neil’s Strasbourg will next face Mainz, who defeated Sigma Olomouc 2-0 in Germany, winning by the same aggregate score.
AZ Alkmaar thrashed Sparta Prague 4-0 in the Czech capital, resulting in a 6-1 aggregate win, with Troy Parrott scoring his 10th Conference League goal of the season. The Dutch club will next face Shakhtar Donetsk, while Rayo Vallecano will compete against AEK Athens for a semi-final spot.
March 20, 2026, 08:20 IST
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