Mainz into Conference League quarters with Fiorentina, Palace, Rayo
· Yahoo Sports
Mainz became the first German team to reach the quarter-finals of the Conference League on Thursday along with twice runners-up Fiorentina and Crystal Palace, who needed extra time in Cyprus.
Mainz beat Czech side Sigma Olomouc 2-0 on the night and on aggregate to reach the last eight in Europe for the first time where they will face French side Strasbourg.
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Palace rebounded from a goalless home draw against AEK Larnaca with a hard-fought 2-1 in 120 minutes from Ismaila Sarr's brace.
Palace now face Fiorentina who ousted Raków Częstochowa 4-2 from 2-1 victories home and away, with Cher Ndour and Marin Pongračić on target in Poland.
Delight in Mainz
In Mainz, the hosts got the breakthrough after the restart from Stefan Posch's glancing header. Olomouc had Peter Barath dismissed with 20 minutes left and Mainz capitalised in the form of a second from Armindo Sieb in the 83rd.
"We are proud and overjoyed," sporting director Niko Bungert said. "The team played a superb match and dominated over 90 minutes."
Their next opponents Strasbourg drew 1-1 at home with Rijeka but had won the first game 2-1 in Croatia to advance 3-2.
Sarr makes the difference for Palace
Palace failed to score against Larnaca in the league stage and first leg knock-out game but finally came lucky in the 13th minute of their third meeting.
Adam Wharton won the ball in midfield and his deflected pass reached Sarr who rounded goalkeeper Zlatan Alomerović at the edge of the area to slot into an empty net.
Larnaca were level in the 63rd from Enric Saborit's header but Saborit was sent off 10 minutes later for a second bookable offence and Sarr saw Palace through in the ninth minute of extra time by netting at the near post. Larnaca also had Petros Ioannou dismissed late on.
“It’s a huge achievement,” Palace coach Oliver Glasner told TNT Sports. “We are looking forward and it is now to really make the best with the three weeks, because our next competitive game is against Fiorentina at Selhurst Park (on April 9)."
Other ties
Greek side AEK Athens could afford a 2-0 home defeat to oust Slovenia's Celje 4-2 from two games. Their next opponents Rayo Vallecano were also beaten at home 1-0, by Turkey's Samsunspor, but survived 3-2.
AZ Alkmaar triumphed 4-0 at Sparta Prague to go through 6-1 and face Shakhtar Donetsk who edged Lech Poznan 4-3 on aggregate after losing 2-1 on the day.
The quarter-finals are April 9 and 16.
Mainz's Armindo Sieb (2nd L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammates during the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 second leg soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and Sigma Olomouc at Mewa Arena. Torsten Silz/dpa