Ismaila Sarr booked Crystal Palace a Conference League quarter-final meeting with Fiorentina with the extra-time winner in their 2-1 victory at nine-man AEK Larnaca to settle the tie by the same score on aggregate.
The Senegal international also opened the scoring in the 13th minute at the home of the second-placed Cypriot First Division side, where the visitors emerged with more attacking intent than last week’s lacklustre Selhurst Park draw.
Enric Saborit powered home a header to draw the sides level in the 63rd minute, then made things much harder for his team-mates when he was sent off for tugging Sarr down 10 minutes later.
Sarr finally broke the deadlock from a Palace corner in the ninth minute of the first period of added time, and came within inches of a hat-trick when he clipped the crossbar twice before the final whistle.
The hosts played out the closing minutes with nine men after Petros Ioannou was dismissed for a dangerous challenge on second-half substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta, who appeared alongside January club record signing Jorgen Strand Larsen for the first time.
Walter Benitez was back in the Palace goal, with captain Dean Henderson still unavailable due to illness.
Sarr’s first goal was created by some good work by Jorgen Strand Larsen, who battled under pressure to retain possession before flicking to Adam Wharton, who excellently teed up the opener with a pass that took a deflection before falling into the path of the Senegal international, who rounded Zlatan Alomerovic before applying the low finish.
Larnaca had a shot on target on the half hour when captain Angel Garcia whipped a header straight into the arms of Benitez, while his opposite number ensured Palace would not do further damage before the break when he saved from a Maxence Lacroix header on the stroke of half-time.
The equaliser came from a Marcus Rohden corner, well-delivered but not defended well enough by Palace, who allowed Saborit to run forward before rising highest and powering into the bottom corner, giving Benitez no chance.
Palace had rediscovered their resolve when Alomerovic made a double save to deny Wharton, then Munoz.
Larnaca went down to 10 men with 17 minutes remaining when Saborit, who had been booked before the break, was shown red after pulling down Sarr.
Glasner added more firepower when he introduced Mateta with seven minutes remaining in normal time, but the sides remained square after Alomerovic punched away a late Yeremy Pino corner.
Palace moved back in front from a corner, played short by Wharton to Daichi Kamada, who in turn delivered a low cross for Sarr to sweep home.
Sarr was then denied by the woodwork with an effort from distance before the post also prevented Strand Larsen from nodding home the rebound as the Eagles looked to put the game away.
Instead, the contest ended chaotically. VAR reversed the referee’s decision to award Larnaca a penalty, ruling out a possible Mateta handball after replays clearly showed the ball had come off the Frenchman’s thigh.
Mateta was then brought down by a sliding challenge from Ioannou, who was dismissed following another call to VAR.
Sarr had a golden chance to make it three after Alomerovic was brought forward for a late set piece, but could not make it count when he struck the right upright of the empty Larnaca goal.
