Crystal Palace booked their place in the UEFA Europa Conference League last 16 with a 2 0 home win over Zrinjski Mostar, while Fiorentina survived a major scare against Jagiellonia Bialystok.
Palace had been held to a 1 1 draw in Bosnia in the first leg of their play off tie but completed a 3 1 aggregate victory at Selhurst Park. Under pressure coach Oliver Glasner, who has already confirmed he will leave at the end of the season, eased some of the heat on his position thanks to goals from Maxence Lacroix and Evann Guessand.
Lacroix opened the scoring in the 36th minute, heading in from close range after Adam Wharton’s well delivered free kick. Guessand, who also scored the winner against Wolves in the Premier League at the weekend, sealed the result in stoppage time with a low shot into the far corner from a Brennan Johnson pass.
Palace, playing in the knockout phase of a major European competition for the first time, will face either German side Mainz or Cyprus’ AEK Larnaca in the last 16.
In Florence, Fiorentina almost threw away a 3 0 first leg advantage against Polish side Jagiellonia. Bartosz Mazurek scored a hat trick to drag the visitors level on aggregate and force extra time at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
Nicolo Fagioli put Fiorentina back in front before an own goal by Taras Romanchuk appeared to settle the tie. But Jesus Imaz struck in the 118th minute to make it 4 2 on the night and 5 4 to Fiorentina overall, moments before Jagiellonia defender Bernardo Vital was sent off for a second yellow card.
Despite a poor league campaign that has left them 16th in Serie A, Fiorentina remain strong performers in the Conference League. They have now reached two finals and one semi final in the previous three editions and stay on course for another deep run in Europe.
Elsewhere, Dutch side AZ Alkmaar overturned a 1 0 first leg deficit to beat Noah of Armenia 4 0 and set up a tie against Sparta Prague or AEK Athens. Lech Poznan beat KuPS 1 0 to complete a 3 0 aggregate win and will face Shakhtar Donetsk or Rayo Vallecano.
Sigma Olomouc, Celje, Rijeka and Samsunspor also advanced, securing last 16 spots against opponents that include Mainz or AEK Larnaca, Sparta Prague or AEK Athens, Strasbourg or Rakow Czestochowa, and Shakhtar Donetsk or Rayo Vallecano respectively.
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