Mateta fires Crystal Palace to Conference League crown

Crystal Palace claimed its first international trophy in the club's history on Wednesday, as Jean-Philippe Mateta's close-range strike sealed a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final.

Already FA Cup and Community Shield winner under Oliver Glasner, Palace also secured a place in the 2026-27 Europa League with the victory. The London club had been moved from the Europa League into the Conference League this season due to ownership-related issues and a missed deadline, a decision it protested before turning the demotion into silverware.

Glasner, who confirmed in January that he would leave at the end of the season but has yet to reveal his next step, handed Dean Henderson the start in goal and selected Maxence Lacroix, Daichi Kamada, Mateta, Ismaila Sarr and Adam Wharton in his starting lineup, with Wharton passed fit after an ankle problem.

In front of 39,176 fans in Leipzig, Palace began with the firmer grip, but Rayo Vallecano gradually found space. Alexandre Alemao volleyed narrowly wide in the 25th minute, and Unai Lopez drove a low effort past the post in the 39th.

Clear chances stayed rare as both sides defended with intensity. Palace nearly broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time, when Wharton's cross found Tyrick Mitchell at the far post, but the defender headed wide.

The decisive moment came six minutes after the restart. Wharton shot from distance, Augusto Batalla parried, and Mateta reacted quickest to turn in the rebound.

Palace then threatened to move clear. Yeremy Pino struck both posts with a free-kick, before Batalla denied Mateta after Pino had set him up. Sarr also went close as Palace controlled the hour mark.

Rayo Vallecano, ninth in La Liga after its final league win at Deportivo Alaves, pressed late. Jorge de Frutos hit the side-netting, Isi Palazon tried a direct free-kick and Alemao missed in stoppage time, but Palace held firm.

"I feel fantastic. We did it. It's incredible," Mateta said. "We gave everything and I gave everything. I'm always with them, they supported me as a player and us as a team, they are always behind us."