AEK Larnaca and Crystal Palace played out a 1-1 draw in a UEFA Europa Conference League match at the AEK Arena in Larnaca on Friday night. The result leaves the group finely poised as both teams shared the points in a competitive European encounter. The home side took a surprise lead in the 25th minute through a well-worked team move finished by their striker, sending the local fans into raptures. Crystal Palace responded strongly after the break, with their pressure paying off in the 68th minute when a low cross was turned in from close range to level the score. Both teams had chances to win it late on, with the Palace goalkeeper making a crucial save in stoppage time to preserve the draw. The match was played at a good tempo with few major controversies, though the physicality led to several yellow cards. The point is a solid away result for Crystal Palace in their European campaign, while AEK Larnaca will be pleased with their performance against Premier League opposition. After the match, the AEK manager praised his team's discipline, while the Palace coach noted the difficulty of playing away in Europe. The starting XI for AEK Larnaca featured their usual defensive setup, while Crystal Palace fielded a strong side with several first-team regulars.