Crystal Palace held to 1-1 draw as Ismaïla Sarr strike cancelled out by Zrinjski
Crystal Palace were held to a 1-1 draw at Zrinjski in the first leg of their Conference League play-off, with Ismaïla Sarr’s strike cancelled out by Karlo Abramovic and a late VAR handball check leaving the visitors relieved rather than satisfied.
Crystal Palace dominance fails to produce a knockout win
Palace dominated possession for more than 70% of the match but repeatedly failed to turn control into a decisive advantage. Ismaïla Sarr finally broke the deadlock two minutes before half-time after a crisp lay-off from Jørgen Strand Larsen, taking his tally in this season’s competition to three; an earlier Sarr effort had been ruled out for an offside manoeuvre involving a team-mate. Despite sustained pressure, the visitors were punished for a sloppy start to the second half when Karlo Abramovic drilled home after a strong run from Leo Mikic to level the tie.
The match underlined a string of difficulties for the side, who have recorded just one win in their last 15 matches across all competitions. A heavy share of possession yielded few clear chances after the equaliser, with Adam Wharton coming close late on when his long-range strike rattled the crossbar.
Conference tie evenly poised ahead of Selhurst Park return
The draw leaves the tie finely balanced ahead of the second leg at Selhurst Park on 26 February at 3: 00 PM ET. The visitors escaped a late penalty scare when a handball challenge involving Daniel Muñoz prompted a VAR review; the referee reviewed the incident on the monitor and declined to award a spot-kick, a decision that allowed Palace to breathe easier but did little to disguise the underwhelming nature of their performance.
Manager Oliver Glasner was able to name an attacking line-up that featured new reinforcement Jørgen Strand Larsen alongside Brennan Johnson and Adam Wharton, yet the changes produced mixed returns. Strand Larsen’s contribution was decisive for Sarr’s opener, but a sloppy pass from Wharton in the second half directly led to the hosts’ equaliser. Moments later, Zrinjski had a glaring one-on-one opportunity that they failed to convert, giving Palace a narrow escape and preserving the hope of a more authoritative display back at Selhurst Park.
With the tie level, Crystal Palace must convert their possession into end product when they return home for the second leg. The visitors’ inability to create or take clear-cut chances away from home, combined with recent struggles for wins, leaves them with work to do if they are to advance beyond the playoff stage.
