Eight European teams advance to the C3 Cup round of 16

Eight European clubs have successfully navigated the C3 Cup playoff round to book their places in the last 16, with Crystal Palace from the Premier League among them.

Crystal Palace were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Bosnian side Zrinjski in the first leg of the playoff last week. However, manager Oliver Glasner's side avoided a shocking elimination thanks to goals from Maxence Lacroix and Evann Guessand in the playoff return leg at Selhurst Park.

Playing at home, Crystal Palace opened the scoring in the 36th minute when Adam Wharton's free-kick found Lacroix, and the defender headed home from close range.

Guessand sealed the victory for Palace with a diagonal shot following Brennan Johnson's pass during stoppage time. Overall, Palace advanced with a 3-1 aggregate score. In the round of 16, Palace will face either German side Mainz or Cypriot club AEK Larnaca.

Fiorentina secured a nail-biting 5-4 aggregate victory over Polish team Jagiellonia. Coach Paolo Vanoli's side squandered their 3-0 first-leg advantage after Bartosz Mazurek scored a hat-trick for Jagiellonia, forcing extra time at the Artemio Franchi stadium.

Fiorentina then regained control in the return leg with a goal from Nicolo Fagioli and an own goal by Taras Romanchuk. Jesus Imaz's 118th-minute strike made Fiorentina sweat, but Jagiellonia's Bernardo Vital was sent off after receiving a second yellow card in the dying seconds. Ultimately, Fiorentina progressed with a 5-4 aggregate score. In the round of 16, they will meet either Strasbourg or Rakow Czestochowa.

In other matches, Dutch side AZ Alkmaar defeated Armenian representative Noah 4-0, overturning a 0-1 first-leg loss to secure a place in the round of 16, where they will face either Czech Republic's Sparta Prague or Greece's AEK Athens.

Lech Poznan (Poland) beat KuPS (Finland) 1-0, winning 3-0 on aggregate, and will face Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) or Rayo Vallecano (Spain) in the next round.

Czech representative Sigma Olomouc won 2-1 away at Lausanne-Sport (Switzerland), securing a 3-2 aggregate victory and will face either Mainz or AEK Larnaca in the round of 16.

Slovenian side Celje defeated FC Drita (Kosovo) 3-2 to advance 6-4 on aggregate and will meet either Sparta Prague or AEK Athens in the next round.

Croatian club Rijeka beat Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus) 3-1, earning a 4-1 aggregate win and will face either Strasbourg or Rakow Czestochowa.

Samsunspor thrashed Shkendija (North Macedonia) 4-0, progressing with a 5-0 aggregate score and will meet either Shakhtar Donetsk or Rayo Vallecano in the following round.

Match results

Celje 3–2 Drita

Fiorentina 2–4 Jagiellonia (Fiorentina advances 5-4 on aggregate)

Rijeka 3–1 Omonia

Samsunspor 4–0 Shkendija

AZ Alkmaar 4–0 Noah

Crystal Palace 2–0 Zrinjski

Lausanne 1–2 Sigma Olomouc

Lech Poznan 1–0 KuPS