Christantus Uche was on the scoresheet as Crystal Palace were held to a draw by KuPS in their UEFA Europa Conference League encounter, a result that denied the Premier League side automatic qualification to the round of 16.
The Nigerian midfielder opened the scoring in the 6th minute with a well-taken finish. After receiving a pass from Justin Devenny at the centre of the box, Uche fired a right-footed shot into the top-left corner to give Palace an early advantage.
KuPS responded in the second half through Piotr Parzyszek, who equalised in the 50th minute. Just three minutes later, Ibrahim Cissé completed the turnaround, putting the Finnish side ahead and increasing the urgency for Crystal Palace.
Palace eventually drew level when Justin Devenny rose to head home the equaliser, ensuring the contest ended in a draw. The result meant Crystal Palace finished 11th, narrowly missing out on the automatic qualification spots for the round of 16.
Despite the disappointment, Uche delivered an impressive all-round performance. He completed 13 passes, including four into the final third, created two chances, and maintained a 100% success rate on his long balls. Defensively, he registered three ball recoveries and won seven duels, underlining his influence at both ends of the pitch.
In the end, Crystal Palace missed the opportunity to secure an automatic UEFA Europa Conference League place and will now have to take the longer route in their quest to progress in the competition.