'If Kane scored that we'd be saying wow' - Strand Larsen shows Palace worth
For Jorgen Strand Larsen, it seemed for a while it was a case of the latter. The Norwegian striker joined Crystal Palace from Wolverhampton Wanderers on 2 February in a deal worth up to £48m, but managed just three Premier League goals in 14 games for the Eagles before Thursday's Conference League semi-final first leg.
For Jorgen Strand Larsen, it seemed for a while it was a case of the latter. The Norwegian striker joined Crystal Palace from Wolverhampton Wanderers on 2 February in a deal worth up to £48m, but managed just three Premier League goals in 14 games for the Eagles before Thursday's Conference League semi-final first leg. However, his fourth goal could arguably be his most important as he produced a moment of magic to give Palace a 3-1 lead against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Polish city of Krakow.
Substitute Strand Larsen raced on to a pass by Daichi Kamada in the 84th minute, broke into the area and showed excellent composure to sidestep a sliding challenge and then clip in a neat finish over the advancing Shakhtar keeper Dmytro Riznyk. The delightful strike gave Oliver Glasner's side a two-goal cushion going into the second leg at Selhurst Park on Thursday, 7 May, and they surely have one foot in a first major European final. "We were not sure if he had had a touch and that is what is impressive, the calmness and then to dink it into the corner," said former Tottenham and England midfielder Glenn Hoddle on TNT Sports.
"If that was Harry Kane scoring that goal we would all be saying 'wow what a beautiful goal'. " Palace step closer to Conference League final with win at Shakhtar If Strand Larsen take the momentum and confidence from his goal then Palace have an impressive forward line that other sides remaining in the Conference League cannot compare to. In Jean-Philippe Mateta they have a player who has 13 goals in all competitions this season despite a desire to leave, putting him on course to challenge his tallies of 19 and 17 in his last two seasons at the club.
Meanwhile, Ismaila Sarr is the leading scorer in this season's Conference League with eight goals - five in the knockout stages - and 18 for this campaign overall. His latest strike, which gave Palace a 21st-second lead against Shakhtar, was the fastest goal ever scored in the Conference League. There is plenty of competition for places in the Palace forward line but, it would seem, all are willing to play their part from either in the starting XI or off the bench.