Zrinjski Mostar vs Crystal Palace Predictions, Picks & Odds

Zrinjski Mostar vs Crystal Palace Game Details

Competition: UEFA Conference League Knockout Play-offs
Date: Thursday, 19 February 2026
Kick-off Time: 17:45 (UK time)
Venue: Bijeli Brijeg Stadium
Live Stream (UK): TNT Sports 1, Discovery+

Zrinjski Mostar vs Crystal Palace Preview

Crystal Palace’s first-ever European campaign continues on Thursday night as they make the trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina to face Zrinjski Mostar in the first leg of their Conference League knockout round playoff. The Bijeli Brijeg Stadium stages a historic first meeting between the two sides. Both clubs will aim to seize an early advantage before next week’s return leg at Selhurst Park.

Despite missing out on automatic qualification from the League Phase, Palace remain among the leading contenders to lift the trophy. Oliver Glasner’s side collected three wins, two draws and a single defeat from their six matches but were left in 10th place after a 2-2 draw with KuPS in December. Their domestic form has been inconsistent since, with a morale-boosting away win over Brighton followed by a disappointing home loss to Burnley.

Zrinjski Mostar reached this stage after edging into the playoff places in dramatic fashion. They secured qualification with a stoppage-time equaliser against Rapid Vienna. The Bosnian champions have been formidable at home in the competition, remaining unbeaten at the Bijeli Brijeg Stadium. While their domestic title defence has recently stalled, Zrinjski will view Thursday’s clash as an opportunity to test themselves against the competition favorites.

Total Goals Over 2.5 feels a strong angle given the recent scoring trends on both sides. Four of Crystal Palace’s last six matches have produced at least three goals. Meanwhile, Zrinjski Mostar’s last six outings have seen a hefty 18 goals in total. With Palace likely to play on the front foot and Mostar capable of contributing on the counter-attack, the game points towards a scoreline that can easily push beyond the 2.5 line.

Jorgen Strand Larsen is a great pick with the striker quickly finding his feet since arriving from Wolves. He scored his first two Palace goals against Burnley and looks all set to lead the line here. Palace will spend long spells in the final third and create multiple chances in this match. As a result, Strand Larsen is well-placed to be on the end of cutbacks and crosses inside the box.

Crystal Palace Total Corners Over 5.5 ties neatly into how this match is likely to be played. Palace are expected to control possession and they will likely pin Mostar back for large stretches of the game. That kind of territorial dominance will translate into repeated attacks down the flanks and a rising corner count.