Crystal Palace beat nine-man AEK Larnaca to reach quarter-finals
Ismaila Sarr scored an extra-time winner as Crystal Palace defeated nine-man AEK Larnaca 2-1 in Cyprus to reach the Europa Conference League quarter-finals.
The Senegal international opened the scoring in the 13th minute after Oliver Glasner’s side showed immediate attacking intent.
Enric Saborit powered a header home midway through the second half to erase the visitors’ narrow advantage.
Red cards cost Cypriot hosts
The momentum swung dramatically when Saborit was dismissed for dragging down Sarr just ten minutes after his equalising goal.
With the aggregate score tied following last week’s lacklustre draw at Selhurst Park, the London club pressed hard to capitalise on their numerical advantage.
The lightning-fast attacker finally broke the deadlock from a corner in the ninth minute of added time to secure passage into the last eight.
Fiorentina await advancing Eagles
Sarr nearly completed a sensational hat-trick late on, striking the crossbar twice before the referee blew the final whistle.
The Cypriot First Division outfit finished the gruelling encounter with only nine players following another late dismissal.
Petros Ioannou saw red for a dangerous challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta in the dying moments of the match.
Mateta’s introduction marked the first time the French striker partnered January club-record signing Jorgen Strand Larsen in the Eagles’ attack.
The Premier League side will now face Italian club Fiorentina in a highly anticipated European clash.
