Report: Eagles ease past Poznan in excellent Europa debut

Pierre Sage’s Eagles were on top from the off, Yéremy Pino a constant menace in the opening stages – and duly capitalising on a terrible throw-in from Terry Yegbe to nip in front of his man and prod past the onrushing goalkeeper.

Poznan did briefly rally, but Palace were simply too good and continued to scythe through, Chris Richards doubling our advantage from a corner-kick not long before the 30-minute mark – before Pino won a penalty which Jørgen Strand Larsen swept home.

Palace enjoyed further chances to extend their lead in the second-half – with Poznań reduced to 10 men late on – and duly took one with two minutes remaining, Eddie Nketiah coming off the bench to open his account for 2026/27 and Dwight McNeil providing his first assist.

Overall, Palace could take pride in an exemplary Europa League debut which saw them sit second in the league phase table – behind only Juventus – at the full-time whistle.

Summary:

• Eagles unchanged from the weekend for Europa League debut.
• 5: Exciting opening sees both teams trade early chances, as Pino tests Lis.
• 10 – GOAL: Pino pounces on a loose throw-in and finishes clinically.
• 22: Ishak volleys over after Rodriguez lobs over the top towards him.
• 25: Yegbe volleys wide at the conclusion of a clever set-piece.
• 27 – GOAL: Richards rises highest to double the Eagles’ advantage
• 34 – GOAL: Pino wins a penalty and Strand Larsen smashes home to put Palace in dreamland.
• 36: Yegbe converts into his own net from long range in comical fashion – but Strand Larsen is inches offside in the build-up.
• HT: Palace 3-0 Lech Poznań
• 52: Kamada flashes in an inviting cross but Strand Larsen can’t make clean contact.
• 55: Palma tests Benítez’s handling low down at his near post.
• 66: Pino’s effort deflects over at the end of another fantastic move by the Eagles.
• 74: Sarr returns to action off the bench.
• 76: Nketiah is played through by Pino on the stretch, but skews his effort wide.
• 82: Benítez makes an excellent stop low down to deny Gurgul a late consolation.
• 87 - RED CARD: Murawski is dismissed for a second yellow card.
• 89 - GOAL: Nketiah adds further gloss to the scoreline with a late finish.
• FT: Palace 4-0 Lech Poznań

So here it was. UEFA Europa League football at Selhurst Park… some would say, at last.

Off the back of a frustrating late defeat to Ipswich in SE25 days before, despite a promising performance in spells, Sage picked an unchanged side, with Adam Wharton once again skippering the side in the absence of Dean Henderson.

Both teams’ matches so far this season had seen an onrush of goals – 12 of Palace’s last 14 competitive matches had produced at least three of them, whilst seven of Lech Poznan’s last eight games saw three or more.

Fittingly, there were early chances at both ends – as both centre-forwards failed to make the cleanliness of touch they would have liked.

First, Mikael Ishak – Ismaïla Sarr’s nearest rival for the UEFA Conference League golden boot last season – narrowly missed Patrik Walemark’s ball across the box. Then, up the other end, a bouncing ball dropped invitingly for Jørgen Strand Larsen, but his swipe took it away from goal.

The early pace persisted. Seconds later, Yéremy Pino linked up with in-form creator Daichi Kamada, danced past one defender and bent it towards the far stick. A deflection took it the opposite direction – but Mateusz Lis reacted well in the Poznan goal to turn it away.

Moments later, Pino cut inside from the same left-hand side and bent one over the bar. He was in red-hot form… and on the 10-minute mark, showed it.

With Terry Yegbe lining up to throw the ball long down the touchline, the Poznan defender had a momentary lapse of judgment, shifting his body and launching it square – into no man’s land.

Pino still had plenty to do, but did it superbly, prodding the ball past his trailing defender and then lifting it delightfully over Lis to get Palace off the mark just 10 minutes into Europa League life.

Palace continued to pour plenty of bodies forwards and looked the more likely to double their lead, but Poznań did give a hint at their goalscoring pedigree when Ishak volleyed over from Pablo Rodriguez’s chipped pass over the top, and Yegbe – seeking redemption – touched wide from close-range after a clever set-piece routine involving Allahyar Sayyadmanesh.

Nevertheless, it seemed like only a matter of time until Palace doubled their lead.

And so they did on 27 minutes with a simple goal: more intricate passing yielded a corner which Wharton swung towards the back post, and which Chris Richards crashed home a header – despite the presence of several Poznań bodies on their line.

It would get even better moments later, thanks to the unplayable Pino. The Spaniard drifted in from the left again and chopped it back between his legs, before being fouled inside the box.

Up stepped his good friend Jørgen Strand Larsen to win a penalty – crashing the ball into the top corner, with Lis diving the other way, for his fourth goal in three games.

Selhurst could barely believe its eyes – and it could have been even better two minutes later following another comical mix-up involving Lis and Yegbe, the latter – panicked by Strand Larsen’s presence – turning into his own net from 30 yards. The Palace man, this time, was narrowly offside.

When the half-time whistle sounded, there was no doubt – in the Europa League, Palace had arrived.

The second-half, as is so often the way in such matches, became more about managing the occasion, although Kamada did have one particularly fine delivery flicked wide by Strand Larsen, who perhaps ought to have done better in the moment.

Luis Palma had a fierce shot low down towards Walter Benítez’s near post – the Palace ‘keeper claiming confidently – but the Eagles were seeing more of the ball, more of the chances, and most certainly more of the play.

A raft of substitutions from both sides slowed down the pace of the play – but Palace always looked capable of going up a gear.

A magnificent move on 66 minutes evidenced that as Pino nodded down for Wharton, who sprayed a lovely half-volley into the path of Tyrick Mitchell. He duly slipped in substitute Dwight McNeil, who back-heeled towards Pino – and the finish, the last part of a delightful move, was blocked on the slide, when it deserved a goal.

In full control, Palace could have added more, Wharton with a low drive wide and Eddie Nketiah – making his return from injury off the bench along with Ismaïla Sarr – screwing a strike wide when played through on goal by Pino.

Poznań had a late chance too as Michal Gurgul hit a firm first-time drive which Benítez did brilliantly to beat away, low to his left.

But the visitors failed to finish the match with a full complement of players, experienced defender Radoslaw Murawski picking up a needless second yellow card late on.

And Nketiah put the seal on the night by capitalising two minutes later. McNeil spun wonderfully in midfield and slipped in the No. 9 with an inch-perfect pass, and he chopped back onto his weaker left foot before sliding it beyond Lis for the Eagles' fourth of a glorious night.

On their way... to Frankfurt? A lot of football to be played before then, for sure, but an early indicator of Palace's intentions in this competition.

On the evidence of this performance, you wouldn't bet against it.

Palace: Benítez (GK), Ahanor, Richards (Canvot, 73), Disasi, Khalaili (Mingueza, 61), Timber (McNeil, 62), Wharton, Mitchell, Pino, Kamada (Sarr, 74), Strand Larsen (Nketiah, 74).

Subs: Matthews (GK), Benetton (GK), Tomiyasu, Chilwell, Williams, Osorio.

Lech Poznan: Lis (GK), Pereira (Gumny, 70), Gurgul, Monka, Yegbe, Walemark (Bengtsson, 61), Sayyadmanesh (Jagiello, 61), Rodriguez (Hakans, 81), Murawski, Palma, Ishak (Agnero, 61).

Subs: Obremski (GK), Pruchniewski (GK), Moutinho, Skrzypczak, Szymczak.