Crystal Palace have work to do in second leg after goalless draw with Larnaca

By Rachel Steinberg, Press Association

Crystal Palace have to do it the hard way in the away leg of their Conference League last-16 tie after Cypriot side AEK Larnaca held them to a goalless draw at a blustery Selhurst Park.

The sides were familiar foes, having faced each other in the league phase at Selhurst Park in October, when the hosts suffered a shock 1-0 loss and were ultimately forced to battle their way through a two-legged play-off with Zrinjski Mostar to reach the knockouts.

Jean-Philippe Mateta was back in Oliver Glasner’s squad following a knee injury.

The France international’s failed transfer to AC Milan was one of several January plotlines that had soured the mood in South London that month, but he was largely greeted with warmth when he replaced Jorgen Strand Larsen late in the second half.

Palace were not without their chances, but lacked the end product against a Larnaca side playing for the first time under new boss Javi Rozada.

It was a very different Palace line-up than started for Glasner in October. Former captain Marc Guehi joined Manchester City in January, while the arrivals of Strand Larsen, Evann Guessand and Brennan Johnson – all of whom started – infused new energy, but none were influential enough.

Rozada was only appointed on Monday, and will likely be pleased with the way his visitors managed to frustrate their Premier League hosts once again.

Guessand had the first chance for Palace after patient work by Strand Larsen to dodge a sliding challenge and tee up the Villa loanee, who fired into the chest of Larnaca keeper Zlatan Alomerovic.

Ismaila Sarr came close a few minutes later. The Senegal international had been tripped up between two defenders but recovered with the ball, and curled just over the crossbar.

Alomerovic then tipped a Sarr cross-shot in the path of Guessand, who rushed forward to meet it but could only deflect the ball wide, and it remained goalless at the break after Tyrick Mitchell could not bury a late chance from close range.

Adam Wharton called Alomerovic into action moments after the restart, and while the Eagles continued to deliver balls into the 18-yard box,  Glasner’s men could not apply the finishing touch as the final 15 minutes approached and Chris Richards nodded over.

On came Mateta with just over 10 minutes remaining. He got involved early, sticking out a leg to try meeting a ball that had taken a deflection off of Guessand, but could not connect.

A perfectly-timed Hrvoje Milicevic challenge denied Sarr a crack at a late opener, and there was a rare half-chance for Larnaca, but the breakthrough never came.