Palace set on the way to convincing win over Fiorentina

By Rachel Steinberg, Press Association

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first goal since New Year’s Day inspired Crystal Palace to a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final.

The France striker, who started for the first time since January, led the Eagles’ line at Selhurst Park in place of the suspended Jorgen Strand Larsen.

He opened the scoring with a 24th minute penalty, and Palace took a two-goal lead when Tyrick Mitchell recycled the rebound from a Mateta effort seven minutes later.

Ismaila Sarr ensured Palace will travel to Tuscany with a comfortable advantage when he nodded home their third on the stroke of time.

Mateta had ruffled feathers amongst the Eagles faithful after his desired move to AC Milan fell apart in January, and returned to action from a knee issue-related absence in mid-March.

He was met with a mixed reception then – but the feeling was decidedly warmer when he was substituted late in the second half.

There were also starting line-up returns for Daniel Munoz and Dean Henderson, both unavailable for the second leg of their last-16 tie with AEK Larnaca.

Mateta had the first real chance seven minutes in, nodding Munoz’s delivery wide of his right post, then Robin Gosens launched an effort just over for the visitors, and it remained goalless at the 20-minute mark after Evann Guessand volleyed just wide.

Palace won the penalty moments later. Dodo was late with his challenge on Guessand and Mateta stepped up after a long VAR check to take it, slotting down the centre past the diving David De Gea.

The opener looked to have lit a fire under the Eagles, who doubled their advantage seven minutes later through a well-worked team sequence that nearly resulted in a second for Mateta, who got on the end of an acrobatic Munoz cross.

De Gea intervened, but the rebound fell favourably for Mitchell, who buried the follow-up, and his name remained on the scoresheet after another VAR consultation.

Fiorentina’s former Manchester United goalkeeper had work to do before the second half even kicked off.

Palace fans had launched streamers into the air pre-match and held a few back for just before the restart, when De Gea got stuck in with the clean-up effort, helping stewards around his goal.

Both sides had early second-half chances. Giovanni Fabbian, in space in Palace’s 18-yard box, failed to halve the deficit, clipping the crossbar six minutes in.

The upright then denied Daichi Kamada at the other end, before Mateta nodded marginally wide with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Palace did have a third goal when a lovely Kamada cross teed up Sarr, who thanked him after planting the ball powerfully past De Gea in added time.