Crystal Palace reached the Conference League group stage after Jean-Philippe Mateta's first-leg goal ensured victory over Fredrikstad. The win extended an all-competitions unbeaten run to 13 matches, equalling the club's longest top-flight streak. Manager Oliver Glasner described group-stage qualification as a huge achievement and noted the club had already secured the Community Shield earlier in the season. Glasner praised the team's defending, acknowledged a need for improved possession play, and said immediate focus shifts to preparing for Aston Villa and upcoming Premier League and European commitments.
"It is a huge achievement to go into the group stage," Glasner told Channel 5. "It was our second goal of the season and we have achieved that by the end of August which is great. "The first one was winning the Community Shield - which we did - and now, with all of the noise of being demoted to the Conference League, we have done that too."
"We defended excellently and did not give them a chance but on the other side, we know we can and have to play better in possession, but overall it's important be in the group stage." Looking ahead to Friday's draw, Glasner added: "I have a press conference in the morning and we train in the afternoon because we get home late. "We will watch Aston Villa to be prepared (for Sunday's Premier League match) so I think someone will tell me who the opposition teams are, but it is not important to me because we start (the Conference League) on October 2 and now Villa is on my mind."
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