Zrinjski Vs Crystal Palace: Sarr strike cancelled out in 1-1 first leg draw

zrinjski vs crystal palace ended 1-1 in the first leg of their Conference League play-off, with Ismaila Sarr scoring for the visitors before Karlo Abramovic equalised in the second half — leaving the tie level ahead of the second leg at Selhurst Park on 26 February at 3: 00 p. m. ET.

Zrinjski Vs Crystal Palace: Sarr’s 43rd-minute opener and Abramovic’s 55th-minute reply

Ismaila Sarr put the Premier League side ahead in the 43rd minute after Jørgen Strand Larsen set the ball up with a crisp first touch, taking Sarr’s tally to three goals in this season’s competition. The hosts struck back 10 minutes into the second half when Karlo Abramovic drilled a shot past Dean Henderson from a move that began with a strong run from Leo Mikic, leaving the tie evenly poised after the 1-1 draw.

Palace dominated possession but failed to convert chances

Crystal Palace enjoyed more than 70% possession and started brightly, having an early Sarr volley and an Adam Wharton effort inside seven minutes, while a Sarr finish in the 12th minute was disallowed because Chris Richards came from an offside position to provide the assist. Manager Oliver Glasner named a strong line-up that included Adam Wharton, Brennan Johnson and Jorgen Strand Larsen after an eight-day break between fixtures, but the visitors could not turn control into a decisive advantage.

Late drama: VAR check, a rattled crossbar and the Selhurst Park return

The match featured a late VAR check when Palace thought they might face a penalty following an aerial challenge involving Daniel Munoz, Dean Henderson and Kerim Memija; the referee reviewed the incident on the monitor and declined to award a spot-kick. Adam Wharton came close to restoring Palace’s lead inside the final 20 minutes when his long-range effort crashed back off the crossbar, while Zrinjski squandered a chance when Antonio Ivancic blazed over after a cushioned header from Mario Cuze.

Palace have won one of their last 15 games across all competitions, and the 1-1 result in Bosnia leaves their Conference League hopes hanging as they prepare for the return leg at Selhurst Park on 26 February at 3: 00 p. m. ET, where the tie will be decided.