Ismaila Sarr scored twice as Crystal Palace finally broke the stubborn resistance of AEK Larnaca to secure a place in the Conference League quarter-finals.
Sarr scored in the first half only for the Cypriot side to hit back through Enric Saborit’s header. Saborit was sent off with 17 minutes to go but AEK’s 10 men held firm to take the tie to extra-time but they could not hold out with Sarr eventually having the final say.
Oliver Glaser’s men will face Fiorentina in the last eight.
Palace started well, zipping the ball around with confidence. Sarr was a constant menace for the AEK backline and he had the first chance of the night, firing into the sidenetting when well placed.
The Senegal international was not as wasteful six minutes later. Adam Wharton’s through ball from midfield benefitted from a slight touch of an AEK defender and fell nicely for Sarr. He still had plenty to do but did it beautifully, skipping round goalkeeper Zlatan Alomerovic and sliding the ball into the empty net from the edge of the area.
Sarr was at the heart of everything Palace were producing going forward and, after seeing another effort ruled out for offside, he then turned provider with a cross that defender Chris Richards just failed to convert at the far post.
AEK level but Saborit turns from hero to villain
AEK came out with greater energy levels after the breaks, pressing Palace further up the field. And it was an approach that reaped its reward as Saborit rose highest to power Marcus Rohden’s right-wing corner past Walter Benitez and into the bottom right-hand corner shortly after the hour mark.
Having played their way back into the tie, the hosts promptly shot themselves in the foot when, having been booked earlier, Saborit committed a needless foul on Sarr and was sent-off.
Sarr then shot wildly over when well placed before spooning a cross horribly behind with Jean-Philippe Mateta free at the far post.
Sarr spurned another opportunity early in extra-time, heading Yeremy Pino’s cross wide but his persistence eventually paid off after 99 minutes. Wharton played a short corner to Daichi Kamada and his low cross was turned in from close range.
Jorgen Strand Larsen twice came close to getting his name on the scoresheet before AEK had another man sent-off, Petros Ioannou seeing red for a challenge on Mateta.
The game ended with more drama, home goalkeeper Alomerovic coming forward for a last-gasp free-kick only for the ball to be cleared and Sarr hit the post with the goal gaping.
