Jean-Philippe Mateta returns but dominant Crystal Palace denied in Europe

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Crystal Palace welcomed back Jean-Philippe Mateta towards the end of their Conference League meeting with AEK Larnaca and will hope his cutting edge can give them what others failed to do on Thursday night. A combination of wayward finishing and big saves from visiting keeper Zlatan Alomerovic turned what should have been a routine night into a frustrating one.

Oliver Glasner ’s side dominated throughout at Selhurst Park, peppering their opponents’ goal with shots but failing to find a breakthrough. It means they will travel to Cyprus next week with plenty of work left to do if they are to continue a European campaign which has proved trickier than expected.

Palace were beaten by the same opposition during the league phase but have strengthened in attack since then. Mid-season signings Jorgen Strand Larsen, Evann Guessand and Brennan Johnson all started on Thursday, though Johnson began in a less familiar right wing-back role after Daniel Munoz was injured in the recent win at Tottenham .

It was Strand Larsen who created the first big opening of the game with less than 10 minutes on the clock, finding space in the right channel and feeding Guessand who could only fire into the chest of Alomerovic. The Norwegian got a sniff of goal himself moments later but couldn’t get enough on his shot after tussling with defenders just inside the box.

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Palace continued to turn the screw early on with Ismaila Sarr riding two challenges before curling narrowly over the bar. Guessand, fresh off his goal in the play-off victory over Zrinjski Mostar, was hungry for more and came close again on the stretch after Alomerovic flapped at a Sarr cross from the right.

The Eagles thought they had the lead minutes before half-time, only for Alomerovic to deny them again when he raced from his line to deny Tyrick Mitchell after a shot deflected into the left wing-back’s path six yards out. At the other end of the pitch, Dean Henderson barely even touched the ball in the first half as most of the game was played in and around the Larnaca box.

The pattern continued early in the second period with Adam Wharton - granted freedom as the visitors sat deeper and deeper - driving into the box and fizzing in a cross-*-shot which Alomerovic was able to block. Palace also saw a penalty appeal for handball waved away, while a Maxence Lacroix header dropped narrowly wide as they continued to push for an opener.

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Next it was Sarr’s turn, with the Senegal star unable to get the right contact when he threw his head at a tantalising Johnson cross from the right. Midway through the second period a smart corner move left Johnson with space just outside the box but he sent his shot flying over the bar.

Larnaca offered nothing going forward as Palace’s back-line had no trouble snuffing out any suggestion of a counter-attack but there was still no cutting edge. Chris Richards was another who will feel he should have done better with a chance for the hosts, rising highest to meet a corner but failing to keep his header down.

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Eventually, Glasner turned to his bench and gave Mateta 15 minutes. It was the first action for the Frenchman since injury put paid to a January exit, and his first minutes of any kind in six weeks. He almost made an instant impact when his outstretched leg couldn’t quite make contact in front of Alomerovic, though an offside flag might have ended up denying him anyway.

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