Mateta fires Palace to maiden European crown after tight win against Rayo Vallecano

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Palace[/a] started brightly, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sarr-ismaila/ll2uTDkB/"]Ismaila Sarr[/a] nearly earned a golden chance for himself when he brought the ball down delightfully in the box, but a good block took all the pace off his effort. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kamada-daichi/bayITLyE/"]Daichi Kamada[/a] then looked to be breaking clear of the defence, until [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ciss-pathe/zRB7v9IT/"]Pathé Ciss[/a] scythed him down, escaping with just a yellow card.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rayo-vallecano/8bcjFy6O/"]Rayo[/a] did muster one or two warning signs of their own, Alexandre Alemao and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lopez-unai/dYFtDut6/"]Unai Lopez[/a] both steering efforts narrowly wide, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-tyrick/tbyIjQ0h/"]Tyrick Mitchell[/a] spurned the best chance on the brink of half-time when he headed a glorious Adam Wharton cross just beyond the post. [/p][p]Nevertheless, the half ended without either side registering a shot on target, the note of caution perhaps understandable given that both teams were featuring in their first-ever European final.[/p][p]The Eagles looked to up the tempo after the restart, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lejeune-florian/fNu1l3xc/"]Florian Lejeune[/a] needed to be alert to stop [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mateta-jean-philippe/nsFUj6GN/"]Jean-Philippe Mateta[/a] from netting a tap-in, sliding in to cut out the delivery.[/p][embed guid="381a6eed-adc1-45d3-a3cc-8366124f9d88" url="https://x.com/CPFC/status/2059730466572324990" social-type="twitter" /][p]But the Frenchman was not to be denied moments later, gobbling up the rebound from close range after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/batalla-augusto/8Wuyaqc4/"]Augusto Batalla[/a] could only parry Wharton’s effort from the edge of the box.[/p][p]Glasner’s side kept on coming, and only the finest of margins prevented [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/santos-yeremi/8fnHDvMe/"]Yéremy Pino[/a] from doubling the lead, with his free kick bouncing off both posts, before a combination of the woodwork (again) and the offside flag prevented anyone from smuggling in the rebound.[/p][p]Mateta was then denied by a fine save from Batalla, somewhat atoning for his earlier spill, and Sarr subsequently couldn’t test the goalkeeper from close range.[/p][p]Nerves started to kick in for the English outfit as the match approached its final 10 minutes, and they had to weather a few scares, but some stout rearguard action secured a special achievement. [/p][p]Glasner will now depart Crystal Palace on the highest of highs, delivering the club’s finest hour in his final game in charge.[/p][p]For Rayo, the nine-game unbeaten streak (W6, D3) could not have ended at a worse time, although they will still look back on a season for the ages in just their second-ever European campaign, following a run to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 2000/01.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wharton-adam/v5IYUpDm/"]Adam Wharton[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a])[/b][/p][image alt="Momentum" id="d0b351c6-c456-4232-b85b-dc5c5880d95b" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="fa94f78b-8d5c-4701-8552-fa45a91c7941" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/crystal-palace-AovF1Mia/rayo-vallecano-8bcjFy6O/summary/stats/?mid=Q17aZoV7"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore[/a].[/b][/p]