Crystal Palace Red Card Appeal Rejected After Last-Gasp Kamada Equalizer

Hoffenheim were denied a precious three points in the UEFA Europa League as former Eintracht Frankfurt man Daichi Kamada scored a last-gasp equaliser to earn Crystal Palace a draw at Selhurst Park.

The final score was Crystal Palace 1-1 Hoffenheim.

Goals came from Alexander Prass in the 7th minute for the visitors and Kamada in the 90th+1 minute for the hosts.

A red card was shown to Adam Wharton in the 77th minute.

Japan international Kamada had an early opener ruled out for the hosts.

It was Hoffenheim who took the lead when Tim Lemperle’s raking pass found Alexander Prass.

Prass’s half-volley squirmed underneath goalkeeper Dean Henderson and crept over the line.

Henderson produced a fine one-handed save to deny Andrej Kramarić midway through the first half.

Fisnik Asllani fired wide early in the second as Hoffenheim continued to cause Palace problems on the counter-attack.

Midfielder Adam Wharton was dismissed 13 minutes from time for a second bookable offence.

Palace salvaged a share of the spoils when Kamada pounced on a loose ball inside the box and prodded beyond Oliver Baumann.

The result left Hoffenheim on four points from as many league-phase games.

Palace boss Pierre Sage said after the match that the draw showed character.

"I think it could be better if we scored before but I know Dean Henderson also kept us in the game with his saves," Sage told TNT Sports.

"I like the energy of the team and to never give up until the end, the last minute."

Sage also confirmed that defender Axel Disasi's absence from the squad was an "internal decision."

He declined to elaborate on the reason behind Disasi's omission.

"It's an internal decision," Sage said.

"I don't want to comment more."

"Sorry for that because you know I always reply but I don't want to comment."

Asked whether Disasi would be available for the weekend, Sage told TNT Sports: "For the weekend, yes."

The Guardian reported that after the match, the beleaguered Sage struggled to put a positive gloss on events.

Asked if he thought his team had deserved their point, he said it "depended on the moment of the game."

While he had praise for his side’s attitude, he was critical of their tactical performance.

"Offensively we did better than our two previous games but we have to continue to improve defensively," he said.

"We gave up too much space to the opponent and sometimes we had difficulty in duels."

"When we try to attack a little bit we are very quickly open."

To be fair to Sage, this was an accurate call.

Palace were in the match throughout without ever dominating.

Hoffenheim created the best chances in the game without ever having to try too hard.

Sitting in 20th place in the Europa League, Palace have work to do in this competition.

That offers no respite from their Premier League travails as they prepare for a visit from Liverpool on Sunday.

With a tea-time kick-off on Bonfire Night, a family-friendly crowd might have had a right to expect fireworks.

Palace set off with intensity but were sloppy too and coughed up an easy opening goal in the game’s early knockings.

Wharton gave possession away cheaply about 20 yards from the Hoffenheim goal.

There were perhaps just three touches before the ball reached Tim Lemperle wide right.

Lemperle whipped the ball first time to the advancing Alexander Prass.

The winger’s shot was equally immediate and caught Dean Henderson cold.

Henderson's save was too slow, and the ball squirmed through his midriff before rolling over the line.

The Palace support did not moan and got on with backing their side.

Sadly the team on the pitch did not respond in desired fashion.

Hoffenheim should have scored again through an Andrej Kramarić volley in the 23rd minute.

Henderson saved well on this occasion.

Palace then started to work their way into the game.

Yéremy Pino was the focus of some attacking moves for the hosts.

But the key talking point after the match was the rejected red card appeal.

Crystal Palace appealed over the Jean-Philippe Mateta red card.

The Football Association (FA) rejected that appeal.

ESPN reported that the Crystal Palace appeal over the Jean-Philippe Mateta red card was rejected.

OneFootball also reported that the FA rejected Crystal Palace's appeal over the Jean-Philippe Mateta red card against Spurs.

A red card in football means a player is sent off and cannot be replaced for the remainder of the match.

A straight red card typically results in an automatic suspension, often for three matches in domestic competitions.