Crystal Palace won their first European trophy after beating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday night.
The final was played at Red Bull Arena.
French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal of the match in the 51st minute.
He reacted quickly after goalkeeper Augusto Batalla pushed away a shot from Adam Wharton and tapped the ball into the net from close range.
Both teams started cautiously because it was the first European final in their history. Rayo Vallecano created a few chances in the first half, while Palace almost scored before halftime when Tyrick Mitchell headed wide from Wharton’s cross.
After Mateta’s goal, Palace pushed for another. Yeremy Pino nearly doubled the lead with a free-kick that hit both goalposts.
Rayo Vallecano tried to fight back late in the game but could not break through Palace’s defence.
The victory marked a memorable end for Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who is leaving the club after a successful two-and-a-half years.
During his time, he led Palace to the FA Cup, Community Shield and now the Conference League title.
The win also guarantees Crystal Palace a place in next season’s Europa League.
