The much-coveted midfielder played one superb pass after another before sending a wonderfully-weighted lofted ball into the area just before the break that Tyrick Mitchell somehow managed to head wide from roughly six yards out.
However, when Wharton strode forward early in the second half to try his luck from distance, Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla could only parry the 22-year-old's well-struck shot into the path of Jean-Philippe Mateta, who did well to react quickly and deflect the ball home with his calf.
Palace really should have won the game more comfortably, with Yeremy Pino hitting both posts with a fantastic free-kick before setting up Mateta for a chance that the Frenchman should have buried.
However, Glasner's men weren't punished for their profligacy by a blunt Rayo attack and thus held on to lift their first European trophy - a year after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final to claim their first domestic title.
Below, GOAL rates all of the Palace players on show at the Red Bull Arena...








