Crystal Palace 1-0 FredrikstadPalace begin life without Eze with win over NorwegiansIt might not be the Europa League. But even the absence of Eberechi Eze as he closes in on his £67.5m move to Arsenal could not spoil Crystal Palace’s first taste of European football as they sealed a narrow victory in the first leg of their Conference League playoff.After a summer of uncertainty over which competition they would play in, the last thing that Oliver Glasner would have wanted was to receive a call from Eze on the morning of the game informing the Palace manager that he was not feeling well enough to play. Yet having struggled to break down well-drilled Norwegian side Fredrikstad in the first half in the absence of their talismanic England forward, Jean-Philippe Mateta’s goal calmed Palace’s nerves but they could not find a second that could have proved crucial as they attempt to secure their place in the group stages of Uefa’s third-tier competition. Continue reading…