Fiorentina 2-1 Crystal Palace (2-4 agg.): Eagles keep European dream alive despite quarter-final scare | OneFootball

Oliver Glasner’s side picked up two worrying new injuries in Italy

Crystal Palace booked their place in the semi-finals of the Conference League as a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina saw them through 4-2 on aggregate.

Cher Ndour gave the hosts the lead on the night eight minutes after the break, but Palace saw out the remainder of the second half to move another step closer to the Leipzig final, with a last-four meeting against Shakhtar Donetsk up next.

It was a nervier contest than the Eagles perhaps expected, and not all positive news for Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who was forced into two first-half changes following injuries to Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix.

Glasner gave another start to Jean-Philippe Mateta while the injured Evann Guessand was replaced by Yeremy Pino.

Daniel Munoz sent an effort just wide inside the first three minutes, and goalkeeper Dean Henderson picked a Jack Harrison cross out of the air as the hosts enjoyed a brief early attacking spell.

Sarr opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Fiorentina lost the ball deep in Palace's half and the Eagles worked it to Munoz, who stood up a pinpoint cross from the right.

The Senegal international's header was straight at David de Gea but had enough power to beat the former Manchester United goalkeeper.

Palace conceded a penalty when Jaydee Canvot, who was involved in the opener and facing away from Rolando Mandragora as he went for the ball, caught the defensive midfielder in the challenge.

Up stepped Gudmundsson, who sent Henderson the wrong way to draw the deficit back to three goals.

Perhaps more worryingly, Wharton had been forced off with what appeared to be a groin issue moments before and replaced by Jefferson Lerma, then Lacroix required treatment after colliding with Munoz.

The Frenchman carried on for several minutes, but, just as it looked as though the Eagles had avoided a double blow, he went down again with three minutes remaining in the first half.

This time it was determined he could not continue and Oliver Glasner was forced into another change, replacing Lacroix with Chadi Riad, with two stoppage-time saves from Henderson ensuring Fiorentina would do no further first-half damage.

Mateta was replaced by Jorgen Strand Larsen after the break, and there was an early chance for Daichi Kamada through the legs of Pietro Camuzzo which called De Gea into a quick reaction.

But the visitors were unable to defend against half-time substitute Ndour, who slammed the ball past Henderson to inspire a glimmer of hope in the home support.

Henderson saw Palace through a period of sustained pressure and tensions began to rise, with Fiorentina boss Paolo Vanoli incensed when his protests for a penalty on Riad went ignored.

There was an excellent Harrison intervention to deny Palace a chance at adding a cushion, but the hosts ran out of time to change the outcome.