Crystal Palace’s hopes of direct qualification to the UEFA Conference League Round of 16 were dashed on Thursday night at Selhurst Park. Despite a dominant first half, Oliver Glasner’s heavily rotated side was held to a 2–2 draw by Finnish champions KuPS, condemning the Eagles to a 10th-place finish in the league phase.
The result means Palace must now navigate a two-legged knockout play-off in February to stay in the competition.
Oliver Glasner made a bold 11 changes to the side that faced Manchester City, handing senior debuts to academy trio George King, Dean Benamar, and Joel Drakes-Thomas.
The Dream Start: After just five minutes, Christantus Uche ignited Selhurst Park with a moment of individual brilliance, curling a "trivela" shot with the outside of his boot into the top corner. At that moment, Palace were sitting comfortably in the top eight.
The Five-Minute Collapse: The second half brought a stunning reversal. KuPS, who had not recorded a single shot in the first half, scored twice in three minutes through Piotr Parzyszek and Ibrahim Cissé to take a 2–1 lead.
The Rescue Act: After KuPS’s Clinton Antwi was sent off for a reckless lunge on Will Hughes, Palace finally found their equalizer. Substitute Tyrick Mitchell delivered a perfect cross for Justin Devenny to head home in the 76th minute.
Despite late cameos from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eddie Nketiah, Palace couldn't find the winner required to leapfrog AEK Larnaca into the top eight.
What Happens Next?
By finishing 10th, Palace will be seeded for the play-off draw. This guarantees they will play the second leg at Selhurst Park, facing a team that finished between 17th and 24th in the league phase.
Key Dates for the Diary:
Play-off Draw: January 16, 2026
First Leg: February 19, 2026
Second Leg: February 26, 2026
The Verdict
While Glasner will be frustrated by the "preventable" goals conceded, the emergence of 16-year-old Joel Drakes-Thomas—who led the team with seven crosses—provides a silver lining. However, with an already congested Premier League schedule, two additional European fixtures in February is a challenge the Palace medical team could have done without.