Crystal Palace Vs Zrinjski: Lacroix header and late Guessand strike send Palace into Conference League last 16
Crystal Palace’s 2-0 victory over Zrinjski Mostar at Selhurst Park, sealed by Maxence Lacroix’s 36th-minute header and Evann Guessand’s stoppage-time finish, completed a 3-1 aggregate win and advanced the club into the UEFA Conference League last 16. The result matters now because it relieves immediate pressure on manager Oliver Glasner and sets up a two-legged tie with either Mainz or AEK Larnaca, with the first leg scheduled at Selhurst Park on Thursday, 12 March.
Maxence Lacroix’s 36th-minute header at Selhurst Park
Lacroix met Adam Wharton’s free-kick delivery from close to the left touchline with a cushioned header from about five yards out to put Palace ahead nine minutes before half-time. Lacroix had returned from an adductor injury to provide the opener, and the goal came after a number of earlier chances — a 15-minute hooked delivery from Wharton was deflected wide, and Jørgen Strand Larsen’s early effort had deflected off target in the fifth minute.
Crystal Palace Vs Zrinjski: late drama and decisive Guessand goal
Evann Guessand, who had earlier seen a chipped effort saved and narrowly missed other opportunities, sealed the tie with a hard, low strike in the second minute of stoppage time to make it 2-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate following last week’s 1-1 draw in Mostar. Ismaila Sarr also spurned a one-on-one and headed wide, while Bosnian goalkeeper Goran Karacic produced close-range saves to deny both Guessand and Sarr before the late finish.
Oliver Glasner, fan unrest and the Mostar reaction
The win eased pressure on Glasner after a turbulent spell: Palace had been on a 12-match run without a win from December and recorded just two wins from 16 matches in a recent run. Many of the 500 travelling Eagles in Mostar chanted “Sacked in the morning” after the 1-1 first leg, and supporters at Selhurst Park displayed a Holmesdale Fanatics banner reading “40 quid? Palace fans fleeced = empty seats. ” Glasner had said critics must “humble” themselves and “forget where you came from, ” and he announced in January that he will leave when his contract expires in the summer.
Igor Stimac, Zrinjski’s approach and disallowed equaliser
Zrinjski head coach Igor Stimac, 58, had urged his side to be “firm and steady” in the opening 20 minutes and recalled beating Palace to promotion in 1996 when he was a Derby County defender; his previous managerial post had been in charge of India. Zrinjski nearly forced an equaliser late when substitute Matej Sakota went on early before setting up Leo Mitic, but the flag went up to deny the goal.
Competition context, European draw and wider ties
Palace’s progression keeps them on course in their maiden season of European competition after winning the FA Cup in 2024-25 and then the Community Shield by edging Liverpool on penalties. The club were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League after an unsuccessful legal attempt to remain in the Europa League and a finding of breach of multi-club ownership rules. Palace will now face either Mainz of Germany or AEK Larnaca of Cyprus over two legs, with the first leg at Selhurst Park on Thursday, 12 March and the return a week later; their place in the draw was confirmed for Friday’s event in Nyon, Switzerland.
Squad strain, transfers and season workload
This match was Palace’s 43rd of the season, with a further 11 Premier League fixtures to play and a potential seven more in the Conference League, and the small squad has struggled with the extra matches. The club saw Eberechi Eze join Arsenal this season, and captain Marc Guehi at one point nearly moved to Liverpool before that deal fell apart; in January, Guehi’s move to Manchester City went through, coinciding with Glasner’s announcement. What makes this notable is how on-field success in Europe has arrived amid significant off-field upheaval and a stretched playing roster.
Related European knock-out results shaping the last-16 draw
Across other ties that shape Friday’s draw, Celta Vigo advanced 3-1 on aggregate over PAOK with a goal from Williot Swedberg and will face either Aston Villa or Lyon. Lille overturned a deficit to win 2-0 at Red Star Belgrade with goals from Olivier Giroud and Nathan Ngoy in extra time. Robbie Keane’s Ferencvaros overturned a one-goal first-leg deficit to win 2-0 and knock out Ludogorets Razgrad, with first-half goals from Gabi Kanichowsky and Kristoffer Zachariassen moving them into a tie with Porto or Braga. Other outcomes included a rapid Luke McCowan goal — the Europa League’s fastest in 10 years — in a tie that finished 4-2 on aggregate, and Panathinaikos progressing on penalties after a 1-1 draw made it 3-3 on aggregate; Milos Pantovic scored the decisive spot-kick.
Palace’s win at Selhurst Park was a rare moment of harmony amid a rollercoaster 12 months and keeps their hopes alive of carrying maiden European momentum through to the later rounds, including the final scheduled for Leipzig in May.
