WHAT AN EXCITING NIGHT IN LEIPZIG IT WAS – AND ONE THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR A VERY LONG TIME! THE VENUE WAS PACKED FULL OF TRAVELLING FANS FROM BOTH TEAMS, WHOSE UNBRIDALLED PASSION FOR THEIR HEROES WAS PLAIN TO SEE!
RAYO VALLECANO HAD 9 SHOTS WITH 1 ON-TARGET, BUT NO GOALS ON THIS OCCASION, WITH PALACE HAVING 7 SHOTS, WITH 2 ON-TARGET.
FULL TROPHY LIFTING CELEBRATIONS
ADAM WHARTON MADE A SUBLIME PASS IN THE FIRST-HALF, TO TYRICK MITCHELL, BUT HE HEADED IT WIDE (AUGUSTO BATALLA WAS ALL OVER THE GOAL..!)
BUT IT WAS MATETA’S QUICK-THINKING, WHICH MADE THE DIFFERENCE TO THE MATCH, STRAIGHT OUT OF THE TRAPS IN THE SECOND-HALF AT 50 MINS., AFTER ADAM WHARTON’S STRIKE REBOUNDED FROM RAYO’S GOALY AUGUSTO BATALLA, AND HE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIRE IT INTO THE BACK OF THE NET QUICK-SHARP. (HIS 16TH GOAL OF THE SEASON.)
IT WAS A FEISTY MATCH, WITH PLENTY OF ARGEY-BARGEY, UNDERSTANDABLY PERHAPS, WITH IT BEING THE FIRST TIME BOTH TEAMS HAD PLAYED IN A EUROPEAN FINAL, BUT NO NEED TO SEND ANYONE OFF!😊
THE MATCH ENDED IN A 1 – 0 WIN TO CRYSTAL PALACE, EARNING CRYSTAL PLACE THEIR FIRST PIECE OF EUROPEAN SILVERWARE. (AND THEIR THIRD TROPHY UNDER OLIVER GLASNER’S TENURE, WITH OTHERS INCLUDING THE FA CUP, COMMUNITY SHIELD, AND NOW, THIS EXTREEEEEMELY LARGE AND HEAVY LOOKING TROPHY!)
RAYO, WHO HAVE THE LOWEST BUDGET IN THE LA LIGA PLAYED EXTREMELY WELL DEFENSIVELY, AND THESE TWO GLADIATORIAL CLUBS – WHO CAME OUT OF NOWHERE – (CRYSTAL PALACE HAVEN’T ALWAYS BEEN SO WELL-FUNDED), WILL NOW PROBABLY CONSIDER EACH OTHER WORTHY ADVERSARIES. WHAT A FANTASTIC EVENING OF ENTERTAINMENT! AND MANY CONGRATULATIONS TO CRYSTAL PALACE AND OLIVER GLASNER!
FULL-TIME SCENES AFTER CRYSTAL PALACE WIN THE UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE FINAL!
