Crystal Palace 2-0 Zrinjski Mostar (3-1 agg): Eagles ease pressure with Conference League progression | OneFootball

Palace fans were frustrated with a first-leg stalemate in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Crystal Palace have been a club slipping far and fast in recent weeks after a run of just two wins from 16 matches, but they eased the pressure by progressing to the UEFA Conference League last 16 on Thursday night.

The Eagles’ victory at Selhurst Park came courtesy of a first-half header by the returning Maxence Lacroix and a stoppage-time strike by Evann Guessand.

Glasner, who guided Palace to their first-ever major trophy with the FA Cup last May, fell even further in many fans’ estimations when he said after that stalemate that those of a more critical persuasion must “humble” themselves and “forget where you came from”.

While Glasner is leaving when his contract expires in the summer, it is very conceivable that chairman Steve Parish would have sacked the Austrian if they had exited the Conference League at the hands of the side sat second in the Bosnian Premier League.

But Lacroix met Adam Wharton’s sublime free-kick delivery from the left with a powerful cushioned header to put the Eagles into a half-time lead.

Guessand’s late goal confirmed their place in the hat for Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland. They remain the favourites to win the Conference League in Leipzig in May.

Before the match, Zrinjski head coach Igor Stimac had said: “We are going to do everything to make them nervous and to get the fans booing the [Palace players] again. That's one of our plans.”

Certainly, it took a while for the goal to come. A hooked delivery by Wharton on 15 minutes was deflected just wide by Guessand and then a Zrinjski player on the way through, and seven minutes later Daichi Kamada had a shot blocked by Igor Savic before delivering the resulting corner straight onto the roof of the net.

It was nine before half-time that Wharton crossed from a free-kick and Lacroix, back from an adductor injury, headed in.

Palace’s all-round performance was no return to the levels they were playing at earlier in the season, and they were thankful for the late flag which denied Zrinjski an equaliser when substitute Matej Sakota, just on, had gone early before setting up Leo Mitic to finish.

Bosnian goalkeeper Goran Karacic kept the Eagles from extending their lead late on when he produced fine saves from close range to deny Guessand a chipped finish and then Ismaila Sarr from a one-on-one where the Senegalese really ought to have scored.

The hosts still had legs late on and made that count when substitute Brennan Johnson fed Guessand and he shot through Karacic as Palace progressed.