PARIS: Strasbourg wrapped up top spot in the UEFA Conference League with a 3-1 win over Breidablik, but Crystal Palace missed out on direct qualification for the last 16 in the last round of league-phase games on Thursday.

Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg were joined in the last 16 by Rakow, AEK Athens, Sparta Prague, Rayo Vallecano, Shakhtar Donetsk, Mainz and AEK Larnaca.

The third-tier European competition will now have a long break before returning for the knockout phase play-off first legs on Feb 19.

Those games will include English FA Cup winners Palace after they were held to a costly 2-2 home draw with Finns KuPS, who snuck into the top-24 to join them in that round.

Sweden international Sebastian Nanasi put Strasbourg ahead at the Stade de la Meinau from Ben Chilwell’s cut-back.

Hoskuldur Gunnlaugsson grabbed a surprise 37th-m­inute equaliser for Icelandic visitors Breidablik.

But Martial Godo’s 80th-minute strike and an injury-time goal from Julio Enciso ensured the Ligue 1 club finished two points above Poland’s Rakow at the top of the table.

At Selhurst Park, a fine individual goal, capped by a curling finish with the outside of his boot, from Christantus Uche gave a much-changed Palace the lead.

But Piotr Parzys­zek levelled shortly after half-time for KuPS before Ibrahim Cisse flicked them in front when Palace failed to clear a corner.

KuPS defender Clinton Antwi was sent off and Justin Devenny soon head­ed home to level for Oliver Glasner’s men with 14 minutes remaining, but Palace could not find the winner which would have put them into the top eight.

AEK Athens snat­ched a last-16 place with 98th-minute and 105th-minute goals in a 3-2 win against Un­i­v­e­rsitatea Craiova.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2025