Crystal Palace 2-2 KuPS: Eagles settle for Conference League playoff after clawing back point against 10-man visitors

Crystal Palace will have to settle for the Conference League playoff spot after rescuing a point against 10-man KuPS on the final night of group stage fixtures at Selhurst Park.

Oliver Glasner’s side went into the tie against the Finnish champions knowing victory would secure a top-eight finish and automatic qualification to the last 16.

Christantus Uche gave the much-changed hosts an early lead before goals from Piotr Parzyszek and Ibrahim Cisse in quick succession after the restart turned the game on its head.

Clinton Antwi was then dismissed for the visitors for a wild lunge which opened the door for Palace to reclaim momentum which they capitalised on courtesy of Justin Devenny’s equaliser.

Both teams now progress to a two-legged playoff for a place in the round of 16.

Eagles strike early on in dominant first half

Glasner made 11 changes to the team that started against Manchester City. And it took just five minutes for a much-changed Palace to break the deadlock.

A neat passing move down the right-hand side ended with the ball falling to the feet of Uche on the edge of the box. The Nigerian international cut inside with his left to open up a shooting opportunity before bending a sumptuous curling finish into the far corner with the outside of his right.

It was a start that lifted the Selhurst park faithful off their feet before they had barely had a chance to take their seats. For the visiting contingent and departing head coach Jarkko Wiss, it was a nightmare opening.

Uche was nearly gifted a second on the 15-minute mark after KuPS were caught playing out from the back, but his shot from six-yards out was well blocked.

Palace went close again on 27 minutes, the lively teenage debutant Joel Drakes-Thomas’ teasing cross just inches away from finding the head of Romain Esse after KuPS goalkeeper Johannes Kreidl was caught flapping.

Esse had another chance moments later when he found a yard of space in the box but his effort from a tight angle skidded the wrong side of the post.

The momentum swings the way of visitors

But for all of Palace’s dominance in the first half, they found themselves pegged back soon after the break. A rare venture forward from the visitors resulted in Parzyszek swept in his side’s first away goal in the competition after a slick passing move down the centre of the pitch.

A comeback that seemed highly unlikely before the restart was complete just three minutes later, Samuli Miettinen’s scuffed shot from the edge of the area prodded home by defender Cisse.

Shortly before the hour mark, the Finnish champions thought they had extended their lead further, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

With Glasner’s men looking rattled, the Austrian manager introduced a number of first-team regulars in a bid to wrestle back momentum in the tie.

One of those thrown on, Will Hughes, was on the receiving end of a reckless lunge by Antwi that resulted in a straight red card for the KuPS player.

Palace took full advantage. Just minutes later, Tyrick Mitchell’s cross was headed in by Devenny to level things up.

With the hosts trying to make their numerical advanatage count, Devenny saw his volley at the back post saved by Kreidl before Eddie Nketiah then prodded an effort that the KuPS keeper was equal to as the visitors held on to claim a crucial point.