Richards and Palace Headed to a European Final

 Defender to Miss the Start of World Cup Camp For a Final

The 26-year-old American center back has been a key contributor throughout Palace's remarkable run in the UEFA Conference League, Europe's third-tier club competition. Richards played an especially influential role in the first leg of the semifinal against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, where his long throw-in from the left side led directly to a Daichi Kamada goal, helping Palace build a commanding 3-1 advantage heading into the second leg at Selhurst Park.

Palace closed things out Thursday, defeating Shakhtar 2-1 on the night for a 5-2 aggregate victory. Ismaila Sarr, who had also scored within the opening minute of the first leg, the earliest goal in Conference League history, netted the decisive second-leg goal, steering home a Tyrick Mitchell cross to put the tie to bed.

Crystal Palace will now face Spain's Rayo Vallecano in the final on May 27 in Leipzig, Germany, with the winner earning automatic entry into next season's Europa League. It will be the club's first-ever European final. For Richards, the achievement comes with a complication—the final falls on the same day U.S. Men's National Team World Cup preparations officially begin.