AZ outclassed by Crystal Palace in 3-1 UEFA Conference League Defeat
AZ suffered a 3-1 defeat to Premier League club Crystal Palace on Thursday night in the UEFA Conference League. The Dutch side struggled throughout the match, with only luck preventing a heavier loss at Selhurst Park.
Early Chances for Palace
Palace, who entered the competition as FA Cup winners, created their first clear chance in the 11th minute. Chris Richards headed a long ball back into the area, where Ismaila Sarr controlled it on his chest and volleyed against the post.
Moments later, a penalty was given to Palace after a pass from Yeremy Pino found Sarr, who was brought down by Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro.
Jean-Philippe Mateta, known for his accuracy from the spot, saw his penalty saved by Owusu-Oduro.
Persistent Pressure Pays Off
Despite the miss, Palace continued to dominate, unleashing a stream of efforts on the AZ goal. Owusu-Oduro stopped a powerful header from Sarr and moments later watched Will Hughes strike the bar with a looping volley.
The breakthrough came soon after. A long ball into the area was nodded down by Sarr to Maxine Lacroix, who fired a low volley into the corner to give Palace a deserved lead.
AZ’s Limited Response
AZ managed their first dangerous attempt just before halftime. Sven Mijnans tested goalkeeper Dean Henderson with a powerful shot from distance, but the Palace stopper turned it away confidently. Only a minute later, the home side doubled their advantage.
Author’s Summary
Crystal Palace dominated AZ 3-1 with energetic attacking play, while AZ’s resistance and brief chances could not alter the match’s clear one-sided momentum.