Ben Wilson’s ‘The Longest Road to Leipzig’ charts Palace’s epic final journey | OneFootball

Professional writer and Crystal Palace fan Ben Wilson has published The Longest Road to Leipzig, a low-budget chronicle of his route from Bristol and Stansted via Dublin, Cologne, Bensberg and Dresden to the Red Bull Arena, set against Palace’s rise from Stockport in the FA Cup to three major trophies in a year.

According to TheEaglesBeak.com, Wilson marks the release with an exclusive excerpt from the final, opening with Tyrick Mitchell’s close-range miss before half-time and building to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s winner arcing beneath the crossbar.

Moments before the break, Adam Wharton’s diagonal is rescued by Mateta, who drags Rayo left, links with Canvot and returns the ball to Wharton for a deep cross. Mitchell darts ahead of de Frutos and heads wide with Batalla beaten, then buries his head as Sarr and Muñoz react in disbelief. At half-time the author secures a pint and a €3.50 (£3) currywurst, only to battle the toilets while balancing an imperilled drink on a sink-side ledge.

He returns anxious. A friend insists one goal will decide it while he fears a lapse would let Rayo suffocate the contest. Palace start fast, Riad kills a wayward Batalla clearance, Kamada slides Mitchell in beyond Rațiu and Lejeune blocks the cross intended for Mateta.

Palazón restarts after a month out during a seven-match La Liga ban, yet that spark does not spread. Palace build calmly as Kamada, Canvot and Muñoz combine right and drag Rayo across, Muñoz finds Kamada then Wharton, with Riad and Mitchell free outside. Wharton strides forward as López hesitates, Sarr draws Valentín infield, and from 25 yards the midfielder drills left-footed, Batalla’s punch falls to Mateta whose shin sends the ball looping towards the winner beneath the bar.

Source: TheEaglesBeak.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”