Palace 2 0

Summary:

• No changes for Palace
• Competitive start with season start approaching for both sides
• Schlupp soars to head Palace in front from Eze free-kick
• Cherki forces Johnstone into simple save
• Ayew run almost frees Edouard
• Powerful Schlupp effort beaten away by Lopes
• Palace on top in solid first-half display
• HT: Palace 1-0 Lyon
• Johnstone produces fingertip save from Cherki
• Eagles begin second-half equally brightly, Eze threatening
• Edouard pokes home rebound after Andersen header saved
• Eagles continue to threaten from set-pieces
• Johnstone produces stunning save from long-range Tolisso effort
• ‘Keeper then turns over point-blank Alvero header
• Mateta denied one-on-one in closing moments
• FT: Palace 2-0 Lyon

With both Palace and Lyon just a week away from their opening competitive matches of the season, the tone was set early on by some frantic end-to-end football – as well as a few committed challenges from both sides.

But despite the ball moving about quickly, early chances were at a premium – Palace’s high press coming close to paying dividends on multiple occasions, but Lyon’s skilful attackers also producing several threatening deliveries.

It was on 14 minutes that the first real chance of the game arrived – but it still demanded an impressive header of Jeffrey Schlupp to break the deadlock.

Once again for Palace in pre-season, an Ebere Eze set-piece was the source, the No. 10 swinging a free-kick in from deep – but Schlupp, timing his leap to perfection, did superbly to get in front of his man and arc a header into the top corner beyond Anthony Lopes.

Lyon continued to pose questions on the counter, their most promising outlet being 19-year-old Rayan Cherki, whose clever run soon after allowed him to force Sam Johnstone into a simple enough low stop.

Up the other end, and Palace’s wide players were also showing neat footwork in the final third; in one instance, the ever-persistent Jordan Ayew hassled Nicolas Tagliafico into ceding possession and, shaping to pass to Joel Ward on the outside, instead checked in, poking through for Odsonne Edouard – who was sadly offside.

It was that kind of good play in tight spaces which made the nature of Palace’s first-half display the more impressive, and they could have extended their lead when Nathaniel Clyne – showing impressive feet to evade Clinton Mata – pulled back for Schlupp on the edge of the box, but his powerful first-time effort was not set out far enough from Lopes.

While the visitors did have their moments, Palace – facing their second high-ranking European opponent in the space of a week – could once again be proud of their first-half display.

Perhaps predictably, Lyon were not, and they began the second period with a renewed determination which saw them almost equalise moments after the restart.

The source of the danger was the ever-lively Cherki, whom a deflected cross found in good space 25 yards from goal. His dipping, right-footed effort looked for all the world like it would nestle in the bottom corner, but across sprung Sam Johnstone to turn the ball behind.

At the other end, Eze was continuing to prove a handful for the Lyon defenders, the No.10’s brilliant dribbling leading to another corner kick – and another Palace goal.

This time, it was Joachim Andersen who got onto the end of the playmaker’s delivery, heading powerfully down – too powerfully for Lopes to handle. The ball rebounded off the ‘keeper and Edouard, showing sharp reactions, dove in to prod home his third goal in his last four pre-season matches.

The goal took the sting out of Lyon’s second-half momentum, and indeed Palace could have added a third when Eze’s next corner kick looped off a combination of Ayew and Lyon substitute ‘keeper Remy Riou – but narrowly beyond the far post.

When Lyon did eventually look like scoring, they found themselves blocked by Johnstone in inspired form; the England ‘keeper’s first save from Corentin Tolisso’s 35-yard rocket was impressive, but his point-blank reaction stop from the follow-up Skelly Alvero header was remarkable.

There was still time for one more clear chance for Palace after Jean-Philippe Mateta bustled his way clean through on goal, only to be denied by Riou, but no matter: Palace’s day, hours after announcing the signing of Matheus França, could not be blemished.

The new 2023/24 Premier League season awaits.

Palace: Johnstone (GK); Ward (Rïedewald, 45), Andersen, Guéhi, Clyne, Lerma, Doucouré (Ahamada, 67), Eze, Schlupp (Rak-Sakyi, 80), Edouard (Mateta, 76), Ayew

Subs: Matthews (GK), Whitworth (GK), O’Brien, Tomkins, Richards, Gordon