The Conference League, Europe’s third-tier competition, is only in its fifth season, with two English sides – West Ham in 2023 and Chelsea in 2025 – among its first four winners.

From the start of this season’s edition Palace have been the bookmakers’ favourites, even though they only finished 10th in the league phase and had to go through two matches against Bosnian champions Zrinjski to get into the last 16.

But there are not many clubs in the competition Palace will fear.

They will find out on Friday whether they play German side Mainz, a team 13th in the Bundesliga, or Cypriot side Larnaca, who only scored seven goals in six league phase matches, though they did beat Palace 1-0 in October.

“We’re hungry for more [silverware] but you don’t talk about winning it three months out,” added goalkeeper Henderson, who became Palace captain after Guehi left the club.

“It’s knockout football and we go into it with confidence. You see the supporters get into the stadium early and Selhurst was rocking tonight and we can make it a fortress.”

Former Palace defender James Tomkins, speaking on TNT Sports, said: “They go through to the next stage, into the last 16 of this competition and they are favourites to go on and win it from here.

“They’ve got to concentrate on the Conference League. The opportunity they’ve got is incredible. To add a third trophy in two seasons would be remarkable and beyond the wildest dreams of the fans.

“They needed a second goal to get over the line and it’s a great night for the club. The atmosphere is amazing and you can see all the fans are behind the team and the manager and it means a lot.”

Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, trainers of Arctic Glamour, are keeping close tabs on Sydney’s weather patterns because of her struggles on wet tracks prior to her expected engagement in the Guy Walter Stakes at Randwick.

The five-year-old has zero wins from six efforts on yielding ground, prompting Ryan to note they would opt for a backup without hesitation if Randwick turns sloppy on the day to preserve her chance.

“We will know on Saturday morning at 7.30 (AEDT),” Ryan said.

“If she doesn’t run Saturday, she will go to Newcastle. But she won’t be running on rain-affected ground.”

While the Newcastle Stakes (1400m) at the Hunter circuit on March 6 offers a viable Plan B, Ryan hopes local conditions cooperate for Arctic Glamour to begin in the Guy Walter Stakes (1400m).

Arctic Glamour has a sharp first-up profile, including success in the Hot Danish Stakes (1400m) last spring resumption, and her trainer rates her just as well now.

“As good as ever. Her fresh record is great, she’s had seven goes for two wins, a second and a third, and there was one race first-up at Randwick you could just put a line through,” Ryan said.

“Her first trial was good. She probably ran out of a bit of puff.

Then the other day we went back and rode her quiet and she hit the line really well – I didn’t want her to have a hard trial, I wanted her to run home for 300 or 400 metres, and she did that really well.”

Tom Sherry draws barrier four aboard Arctic Glamour, and strong showing could lead straight to the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill in two weeks’ time.

Discover premier betting sites with competitive sports betting on the Guy Walter Stakes.

Former India captain Anil Kumble reckons that the Men in Blue will retain the playing combination that featured in the T20 World Cup 2026 game against Zimbabwe for the do-or-die clash against the West Indies. Admitting that India should ideally have not changed their combination midway through the tournament, he explained that circumstances forced them to do so.

India beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, February 26 in a crucial Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026. Sent into bat, the Men in Blue posted 256-4 on the board and then held Zimbabwe to 184-6. India made a key change at the top of the order, bringing back Sanju Samson as opener, pushing Ishan Kishan down to No.3 and Tilak Varma to No. 6.

During a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Kumble opined that the Men in Blue must stick to this combination for their remaining games in the T20 World Cup 2026 and stop chopping and changing the playing XI. He commented:

“Nobody expected Abhishek Sharma to get out three times not scoring a single run. Then, suddenly off-spinner becoming a major hindrance to the batters at the top. The squad had only one [additional] top order batter. So, I guess you have made that decision, now you have to stick to it. You can’t keep changing. I think this combination will continue.”

Opening the batting, Samson got India off to a rapid start, smashing 24 off 15 balls. Abhishek Sharma top-scored with 55 off 30 balls, while Hardik Pandya (50* off 23), Varma (44* off 16), Kishan (38 off 24) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 13) all chipped in.

“Why not keep the same team?” – Faf du Plessis backs India to retain playing XI for T20 World Cup 2026 match against West Indies

Former South African captain Faf du Plessis also reckons that India must retain the same team that beat Zimbabwe for the must-win clash against the West Indies. Du Plessis opined that having Samson at the top of the order definitely makes the side stronger and also helps with the left-right combination. He explained:

“They had all these lefties. So, Sanju came in today and gave them a better look. They had a right and a left at the top. It wasn’t as obvious where the holes are. If you lose a couple of wickets, Tilak Varma can come in and play that anchor innings. You’ve got Hardik, so there’s options. It’s a very flexible batting line-up. They’ve played so well today, so why not keep the same team?”

Samson and Abhishek added 48 for the first wicket against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup match. Abhishek and Ishan then featured in a 72-run stand for the second wicket. Towards the end, Varma and Pandya were part of a rollicking 84-run unbeaten partnership, which came off just 31 deliveries.