LEIPZIG, Germany — Crystal Palace secured their first continental title as Jean-Philippe Mateta’s close-range finish earned a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final at the Red Bull Arena, according to the match report. The win completed a remarkable follow-up to manager Oliver Glasner’s FA Cup success at Wembley a year earlier.
More than 11,000 supporters occupied each end of the stadium and flares were lit before kickoff and again after the decisive goal as Palace celebrated a historic night. The opening 45 minutes produced no shots on target, marking the first major European final in 16 years to reach halftime without a target effort; Tyrick Mitchell’s diving header that went just wide was the only notable chance before the break, according to the match report.
The deadlock was broken early in the second half when Adam Wharton’s long-range strike was parried into the path of Mateta, who tucked home the rebound to spark wild celebrations in the Palace end. From that moment Palace controlled the game, creating further chances and ultimately seeing the match out with relative comfort, the match report states.
Mateta’s goal carried added significance for the striker. It was his first away goal for Palace since September 2025, his first-ever goal in a senior final, his 16th of the season and his third in this season’s Conference League. The forward had pursued a January move to AC Milan that collapsed after a failed medical linked to a persistent knee problem, a subplot the match report highlighted as part of his campaign.
Adam Wharton, left out of England’s World Cup squad a week earlier, was central to Palace’s attacking plan. He registered the most touches (50), created the most chances (two) and completed 10 progressive passes, the most in the match, and his drive from deep led to the assist for Mateta’s goal. The victory extended London’s strong record in the competition, making it three of the five Conference League trophies claimed by clubs from the capital, with Chelsea and West Ham also among the winners, per the match report.
