Crystal Palace were held to a goalless draw by AEK Larnaca at Selhurst Park on Thursday in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League last-16 tie.
Oliver Glasner’s side had more than 70% possession and 13 shots, but the Premier League club could not find a breakthrough against a disciplined Larnaca defence and an in-form Zlatan Alomerovic.
Early Pressure Set the Tone at Selhurst Park
Palace established control almost immediately.
AEK Larnaca, under newly appointed manager Javier Rozada, failed to register a shot in the first half as Palace pushed the visitors deep into their own half. The home side should have been ahead within eight minutes when Evann Guessand met Jorgen Strand Larsen’s delivery inside the area, only for Alomerovic to make the save.
That pattern continued through the first half. Larsen and Ismaila Sarr both threatened, while Tyrick Mitchell was denied at the back post by another strong intervention from the Larnaca goalkeeper.
The territorial dominance was clear. Palace moved the ball with authority, controlled possession and repeatedly forced Larnaca into a low defensive block. What they lacked was the final touch.
Larnaca Repeated a Familiar Defensive Script
This was not the first time Palace had struggled against the Cypriot side in this season’s Conference League.
AEK Larnaca had already beaten Palace 1-0 in the league stage in October, and once again they made the game uncomfortable for Glasner’s team. Their back five stayed compact, their defensive line held shape, and Palace were forced into a series of crosses and half-chances rather than clear openings.
The second half brought more of the same. Brennan Johnson, signed in January, delivered dangerous balls into the area, but Sarr and Chris Richards both headed off target. Palace remained in control, yet the match increasingly felt defined by missed moments rather than sustained attacking fluency.
Mateta Returns to Mixed Reaction
One of the most notable moments of the night came in the closing stages when Jean-Philippe Mateta entered for the final 15 minutes.
It was the striker’s first appearance for Palace since his failed move to AC Milan in January, and sections of the Selhurst Park crowd greeted him with jeers. Even so, he nearly changed the match within two minutes of coming on when he went close to turning in a Guessand cross.
That chance underlined Palace’s problem on the night. They were close enough often enough, but never decisive enough to separate themselves from a well-organised opponent.
Mateta’s return could still prove significant in the second leg, particularly after a match in which Palace’s attacking line lacked a clinical edge.
The Numbers Behind Palace’s Frustration
The statistics reflected a match Palace largely controlled without winning.
| Stat | Crystal Palace | AEK Larnaca |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 71% | 29% |
| Shots | 13 | 2 |
| Shots on target | 4 | 0 |
| Passes | 601 | 248 |
| Successful final-third passes | 126 | 27 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 0 | 4 |
Palace also completed 28 crosses and recorded 24 touches inside the opposition box. Larnaca’s resistance, however, held throughout.
What the Stalemate Means for the Tie
For Palace, this was a missed opportunity rather than a damaging result.
They did not concede, and they remain level heading into the return leg, but the first leg followed a worrying pattern from the earlier meeting between the clubs. Palace again saw more of the ball, created more activity in the final third and still failed to score.
Larnaca, by contrast, left London with exactly the kind of result they wanted. Their defensive structure worked, their goalkeeper delivered, and the second leg in Cyprus now becomes a genuine chance to finish the job.
The match details and statistics were reported by BBC Sport.
Cyprus Trip Now Carries the Pressure
The second leg will decide whether Crystal Palace reach the Conference League quarter-finals, where either Fiorentina or Rakow Czestochowa await. Fiorentina lead that tie 2-1 after the first leg in Florence.
Palace will travel knowing they were the better side at Selhurst Park, but also knowing that superiority alone was not enough.
Can Glasner’s side turn control into goals when the tie resumes in Cyprus?