Crystal Palace survive red card and snatch last-gasp Europa League draw

Daichi Kamada scored in stoppage time to earn Crystal Palace a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim at Selhurst Park, rescuing a point for the 10-man hosts after Adam Wharton was sent off in the 77th minute.

Hoffenheim took the lead in the seventh minute when Alexander Prass's half-volley squirmed under Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson and crossed the line.

The goal came after Adam Wharton gave away possession cheaply near the Hoffenheim box, and the visitors needed just three touches to find Prass in space.

Palace thought they had equalized early through Kamada, but the goal was ruled out.

Henderson kept Palace in the match with a fine one-handed save to deny Andrej Kramaric's volley in the 23rd minute.

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

Palace's hopes looked finished when Wharton received a second yellow card in the 77th minute and was dismissed.

But with 13 minutes to play and a man down, Palace pushed forward.

In the first minute of added time, Hoffenheim failed to clear a goalmouth scramble.

Kamada pounced on the loose ball inside the box and fired home under goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.

The equalizer generated a rare moment of elation at Selhurst Park this season, according to The Guardian.

After the match, Palace boss Pierre Sage struggled to put a positive gloss on the performance.

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

He praised his side's attitude but was critical of their tactical performance.

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

Sage's assessment was accurate, according to reports.

Palace were in the match throughout without ever dominating, and Hoffenheim created the best chances without having to try too hard.

The draw leaves Palace on four points from four Europa League league-phase games, sitting in 20th place.

They have work to do in the competition, offering no respite from their Premier League struggles.

Palace face Liverpool at home on Sunday, with a tea-time kick-off on Bonfire Night.

A family-friendly crowd might have expected fireworks, but Palace set off with intensity and sloppiness.

Wharton's cheap giveaway in the seventh minute exposed the team's defensive fragility.

The Palace support did not moan and continued to back their side, but the team on the pitch did not respond in the desired fashion.

Sage also addressed the absence of defender Axel Disasi, who was not in the squad against Hoffenheim.

Sage called it an "internal decision" and declined to elaborate.

"Sorry for that because you know I always reply but I don't want to comment," Sage told TNT Sports.

When asked whether Disasi would be available for the weekend match against Liverpool, Sage said: "For the weekend, yes."

Sage was pleased with the character shown by his side to earn the point.

"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 said.

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

Hoffenheim were denied their first win in the Europa League this season.

The Bundesliga side, currently in the bottom half of the German top flight, had controlled large portions of the match.

For Palace, the draw was a narrow escape from what would have been another round of navel gazing.

The club's appeal over Jean-Philippe Mateta's red card was rejected earlier in the week.

Mateta was sent off in a previous match against Tottenham, and the FA upheld the decision.

That left Palace without one of their key attackers for this Europa League fixture.

Kamada, a former Eintracht Frankfurt player, was the unlikely hero against his former domestic rivals.

His stoppage-time strike was the kind of moment that can shift momentum in a struggling season.

But the underlying issues remain.

Palace are 20th in the Europa League table after four matches.

They have won only one of their last six matches across all competitions.

The team has conceded first in four of those games.

Defensive lapses, like the one that led to Hoffenheim's opener, have become a pattern.

Wharton's red card means he will miss the next European match.

The midfielder's second yellow came from a tactical foul as Hoffenheim broke forward.

Sage will have to reshuffle his midfield for the Liverpool match on Sunday.

Liverpool are top of the Premier League and present a formidable challenge.

Palace's home form has been inconsistent, with only two wins at Selhurst Park this season.

The draw against Hoffenheim was a result that felt like a defeat for most of the match.