Jean-Philippe Mateta’s header saw Crystal Palace snatch a 1-0 victory against Fredrikstad in the first leg of their 2025-26 UEFA Conference League Play-Off at Selhurst Park.
Mateta headed in a 54th-minute winner from Will Hughes’ rebound strike after the latter’s initial shot was deflected back out to him, which saw the Frenchman become Palace’s first goalscorer in European football.
Post-match, Mateta spoke to Channel 5 about his pride at scoring a historic goal for Palace and how prepared he was to nod in Hughes’ rebound shot, but praised Fredrikstad for their defensive display.
“Very happy to be the first player to score for Palace in a European cup. I saw the ball in the box and I did my job. I was ready if the ball came to me, to touch it and to score. I got into the right body position to the goal and I hoped to score and yes very happy.
“They played very defensive and it was hard for us and they did not give us gaps. they defended really well. We scored in the second half and now we need to go there and win again.”
Palace now take a slender 1-0 aggregate lead to the Fredrikstad Stadion, Fredrikstad, Norway for the second leg on Thursday 28 August at 6pm CEST (5pm UK Time).
Amidst a chaotic summer of off-pitch drama surrounding Palace’s unsuccessful appeal of their demotion to the Conference League Play-Offs, Palace were dealt another blow after manager – Oliver Glasner decided to leave Eberechi Eze out of the squad ahead of the winger’s £67.5m move to Arsenal.
Palace nevertheless made a solid start to their first-ever European fixture as they weathered a see-saw start until Marc Guehi put a 17th-minute shot wide of the right corner, having pounced upon a deflection of Borna Sosa’s throw-in.
Mateta, Jefferson Lerma, Adam Wharton and Sosa saw shots denied as Palace cranked up the intensity midway through the first half.
Palace’s resilience almost paid off in the 39th minute after a loose clearance was met by Mateta, yet the Frenchman’s powerful shot was deflected onto the right post.
Three minutes later, Sarr’s header forced a scrappy goal-line clearance by Martin Borsheim which fell for Guehi whose shot was deflected, before Justin Devenny fired wide from 25 yards via deflection as Palace finished their first 45 minutes on the European stage on top.
Fredrikstad’s hopes of a second-half fightback were almost snuffed out just three minutes after the break as Hughes curled a shot over the top left corner.
Palace eventually found their breakthrough goal after Sosa’s 54th-minute throw-in was deflected to Hughes whose first shot was blocked, but he intercepted the deflection and unleashed a powerful strike which Mateta nodded in to claim the Eagles’ first goal in European football.
Fredrikstad subsequently showed some attacking fight but Palace almost doubled their lead in the 78th minute, as Daniel Munoz headed wide from Lerma’s cross in from the left towards the right post.
Fredrikstad ultimately stood firm to keep their deficit down to a single goal going into the second leg at home next week, amidst late Palace pressure as Odsonne Edouard saw a 88th-minute shot deflected whilst Lerma nodded wide from a corner two minutes later.
Teams
Crystal Palace: Dean Henderson, Jefferson Lerma, Maxime Lacroix, Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz, Adam Wharton, Will Hughes, Borna Sosa, Ismaila Sarr, Justin Devenny (Edouard 69′), Jean-Philippe Mateta
Substitutes: Walter Benitez, Rio Cardines, Nathaniel Clyne, Romain Esse, Remi Matthews, Tyrick Mitchell, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Chris Richards, Odsonne Edouard
Fredrikstad: Martin Borsheim, Solomon Owusu (Kvile 76′), Ulrik Fredriksen, Maxwell Woledzi, Daniel Eid, Patrick Metcalfe, Leonard Owusu (Shein 84′), Sondre Sorlokk (Skogvold 64′), Stian Stray Molde, Oskar Ohlenschæger (Bjartalio 76′), Emil Holten (Nunez 64′)
Substitutes: Ludvid Begby, Joannes Bjartalio, Eirik Granaas, Johannes Nunez, Kennedy Okpaleke, Elias Solberg, Sigurd Kvile, Henrik Skogvold, Ole Langbraten, Simen Rafn, Rocco Shein, Oystein Ovretveit
Referee – Anastasios Papapetrou
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