Crystal Palace claimed their first European trophy as Jean-Philippe Mateta's second-half goal secured a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the final of the Conference League, the perfect farewell for manager Oliver Glasner.
Palace took the lead on 51 minutes through a familiar source. Adam Wharton’s shot from the edge of the box was only parried by Vallecano goalkeeper Augusto Batalla and striker Mateta knocked in the rebound from close-range.
Yeremy Pino struck both posts with a free kick shortly afterwards and Mateta brought a fine save out of Batalla as Palace pushed for a second that in the end they did not need in pursuit of a second major trophy in the club's 120-year history.
Palace become the third English side in four years to lift the trophy after West Ham United and Chelsea, while Glasner leaves in celebration having announced his departure from Selhurst Park in January.
Mateta told TNT Sports: "I feel fantastic! I feel fantastic! We did it! First time in Europe, we did it! Now I just want to celebrate, I just want to party.
"It's incredible. We did everything. I told you about the intensity we're going to put. I’m tired right now. I gave everything."
Mateta paid tribute to Palace’s noisy travelling fans who made the journey to the Red Bull Arena.
He said: "I’m always with them. They support me as a player a lot, and as a team. They’re always behind us and we did that for them too."
Palace chairman Steve Parish wants the club to keep on winning silverware after lifting three trophies in a year.
Parish said: "That’s what you’ve got to do, right? There’s no point being in it unless you’re trying to win. We’ve gone up a level and we’ve got to try and stay there.
"It’s not going to be easy. Everybody wants to win. We’ve got to work hard in the summer, but right now we’ll take a week or so and enjoy it.
"Just surviving in the Premier League is difficult, but to win an FA Cup, a Community Shield and a European title at the first time of asking is an incredible achievement from everybody. It means everything.
"When I bought the club, I wasn’t sure we’d ever play in Europe, let alone come and win a trophy, so it’s absolutely incredible.
"It’s all of our dreams come true and now we just want to keep it going. We’ve got a taste of it, we want to keep it going."
Additional reporting: PA
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