By Frank Ulom
Crystal Palace secured their first European title on Wednesday night after defeating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the Conference League final, handing manager Oliver Glasner a memorable farewell.
Midfielder Adam Wharton delivered a commanding performance as Palace dominated large spells of the contest and deservedly emerged champions.
From the opening whistle, Wharton controlled the tempo with a series of incisive passes and intelligent movement, appearing determined to respond to England manager Thomas Tuchel’s decision to omit him from the national squad for this summer’s World Cup in North America.
The 22-year-old came close to creating the opening goal shortly before half-time when he floated a precise ball into the penalty area, only for Tyrick Mitchell to head wide from close range.
Palace eventually broke the deadlock early in the second half through Jean-Philippe Mateta. Wharton surged forward and unleashed a powerful strike from distance that was parried by goalkeeper Augusto Batalla into Mateta’s path, with the French forward reacting quickly to divert the rebound home with his calf.
The London club could have extended their advantage further. Yeremy Pino struck both posts with a superb free-kick before later creating another clear opportunity for Mateta, who failed to convert.
Despite missing several chances, Palace were rarely troubled by a subdued Rayo attack and comfortably protected their slender lead until the final whistle.
The triumph marks another historic milestone for Palace under Glasner, coming a year after the club defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final to claim its first major domestic honour.
The victory also ensured Glasner departed Selhurst Park on a high note, delivering European silverware and cementing his place in the club’s history.
Palace also won the Community Shield under Glasner’s managerial exploits.
