MAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT!

Striker steps up to give Eagles first-leg lead and something to smile about after Eze exit

- BY MIKE WALTERS X@MikeWaltersMGM

AS a beauty pageant, it was nearer cat litter than catwalk.

But as Jean-Philippe Mateta banked Crystal Palace's first goal in Europe, a grim contest proved the old adage that there are no easy games in Europe.

Sadly for Palace, after Eberechi Eze rang in sick and missed his chance to wave goodbye ahead of his £67.5mil-lion move to Arsenal, there will be no Eze games, either.

Mateta’s scruffy winner was in keeping with the untidy nature of a frantic tie, but Palace should have more than enough firepower - even without their playmaker Eze - to hold the fort in next week's second leg in Norway.

After missing out on the tous FA Cup-winning goal that shocked hot favourites Manchester City.

Palace still have far too much quality to be troubled by Fredrikstad, the fallen giants of Norwegian football who have won nine titles - the last of them 64 years ago.

As Glasner’s side laid siege to the Scandinavians goal, home fans bellowed their crude refrain about UEFA, former director John Textor, and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, chief scapegoats in the Europa League campaign that got away in a courtroom.