Crystal Palace were unable to claim a Europa League win over Besiktas, ending with a 2-2 stalemate in Istanbul even though they faced 10 opponents for the final part of the match. Jean-Philippe Mateta found the net on his first start since the season opener, but the Eagles failed to grab a winning goal after going ahead early in the second period.
Oliver Glasner’s team were seeking a reaction following their embarrassing 5-0 loss at Brighton. Yet, although they produced a number of chances and came back from a half-time deficit, Palace could not complete the task against their Turkish hosts.
Crystal Palace strong early but fall behind before the break
Palace began well, applying an intense pressing approach to unsettle Besiktas. Mateta believed he had ended his scoring drought when he converted in the first half, but VAR disallowed the goal due to a tight offside in the buildup.
The away side kept generating chances, with Yeremy Pino teeing up Adam Wharton with a clever flick. The England midfielder attempted to locate Mateta with his pass, but the ball ran past the forward. Tyrick Mitchell also sent an effort wide when he could have found his teammate.
Mateta threatened once more from a Wharton corner just before the half-hour point, drawing a stop from Alexander Nubel before heading another set-piece chance off target.
Regardless of Palace’s promising display, Besiktas scored in first-half added time. Yasin Ozcan played a long pass forward, and Wilfred Ndidi took advantage of the gap between the Palace central defenders, controlling the ball before placing a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
Mateta and Pino flip the Europa League match
Palace came out strongly after the break, with Pino levelling six minutes into the second half. Dwight McNeil and Anan Khalaili linked up to craft the chance, enabling the winger to guide the ball into the net. The goal was first chalked off for offside, but VAR reversed the call.
The visitors required only a few more minutes to move ahead. A Besiktas error allowed Mateta to react, and the striker converted confidently by blasting his finish into the roof of the goal.
It was a well-timed contribution from Mateta, whose first-half attempt had already been cancelled. Palace had now recovered from their deficit and seemed in a strong position to earn the response they desired after their heavy defeat to Brighton.
Just past the hour, Mateta was replaced by Jorgen Strand Larsen, while Ismaila Sarr came on for McNeil in a double change as Palace aimed to protect their lead.
Besiktas leveller prevents Palace from Europa League victory
Besiktas kept fighting and equalised in the 73rd minute. Junior Olaitan darted through the Palace defence before beating the diving Benitez to level at 2-2.
The game shifted again four minutes later when Umit Akdag was dismissed for a clumsy foul on Strand Larsen, reducing the hosts to 10 men for the remaining time. Palace called for a penalty soon after, but their appeals were rejected.
The visitors’ man advantage was made harder by an injury to Strand Larsen, who was clearly in discomfort away from the ball and had to be helped off the pitch by a staff member. Eddie Nketiah came on for him and nearly made an instant impact, but his attempt from a difficult angle hit the side-netting.
Palace pressed for a late winner, but Besiktas stayed resolute despite their disadvantage. The Eagles had to accept a draw after failing to capitalise on their extra-man advantage, missing the chance to convert a promising second-half comeback into a European win.