As it happened: Palace 4-2 Montpellier - Eagles end pre-season on high

Summary

• After a quiet start the first chance falls to Wilfried Zaha, who has a close-range shot blocked on the line
• There’s no one stopping the Ivorian when he strikes low and hard from 20 yards to open the scoring
• Odsonne Edouard makes it two by heading in from close range, before earning his brace by fighting his way into the box and striking past Jonas Omlin
• Palace dominate the first-half, and enter the break 3-0 up
• Half-time: Crystal Palace 3-0 Montpellier
• Almost immediately after the restart Marc Guéhi makes it 4-0 by heading in Eberechi Eze’s corner
• Montpellier pull one back through Stephy Mavididi, who strikes low from 10 yards
• Patrick Vieira makes five substitutions, playing Chris Richards for the first time and introducing Malcolm Ebiowei and Luke Plange to the Selhurst crowd
• Mavididi nets his second from the right of the box
• Full-time: Crystal Palace 4-2 Montpellier

Selhurst Park lay empty for 68 days between Crystal Palace’s final 21/22 Premier League game and their pre-season closer, and in just six days’ time will again welcome crowds as the 2022/23 season begins.

Building up to that moment – when Arsenal travel south to open the league campaign – Palace faced Ligue 1 side Montpellier, winning 4-2 with a confident performance.

The home side boosted spirits heading into the new season with goals from Wilfried Zaha – his fifth from three – Odsonne Edouard (two) and Marc Guéhi.

The game began quietly but soon livened up when Zaha netted in style from the edge of the box, finishing an excellent personal pre-season on a high.

Edouard then managed to earn a brace, first by heading in from close range and then by forcing his way to goal and striking in.

Palace remained hungry coming out for the second-half, and Guéhi got involved by heading in from Eberechi Eze’s corner.

With four goals behind them the south Londoners relented somewhat, with Vieira making a host of changes and Montpellier nabbing two consolations through Stephy Mavididi.

The full-time whistle confirmed victory, however, closing pre-season and starting the countdown for the Premier League’s return.

From the gaffer

18:45

"There is no doubt about the quality of our front players. They are really good on the one-v-one, they like to run in-behind and now the other side we need to do is: how can we defend better as a team? On that side we have to do better."

Eze: "It was fun today."

18:25

Ebs told Palace TV: “It was fun today, we played well and that’s the type of performance we need to put in for the game on Friday, which is the important one.

“It’s been fun, playing in [centre] midfield. I played there a few times and it’s where you can get on the ball, play and get touches on the ball. That’s what I want to do.”

Edouard: Good to finish with a win

18:18

Odsonne Edouard told Palace TV post-match: "It was a good performance and it’s always good to finish with a win before the start of the season… we were unlucky to concede two goals and need to work at this."

Take a look at this

18:01

Outrageous skill from Ebs to tee-up today's first goal.

Full-time: Crystal Palace 4-2 Montpellier

16:53

A thoroughly convincing display from Patrick Vieira's men ends pre-season strongly.

Goals from Wilfried Zaha, Odsonne Edouard (two) and Marc Guéhi sealed the win in south London.

Stay tuned for reaction.

89 mins

On: Mattéo Loubatieres

Off: Stephy Mavididi

GOAL: Palace 4-2 Montpellier

82 mins

Palace won't be happy with that one as Mavididi bags his second from wide on the right.

Richards' first appearance

79 mins

This is Chris Richards' first game in club colours, having joined on a five-year deal midweek.

He told the club upon signing that he grew up watching Wilfried Zaha and was excited to play alongside him. It'll have to wait for another day, Chris.

Get to know our latest signing below!

Five Palace subs

79 mins

Deep breath:

On: Malcolm Ebiowei, Chris Richards, Christian Benteke, Nathan Ferguson, Luke Plange

Off: Joachim Andersen, Eberechi Eze, Jordan Ayew, Tyrick Mitchell, Wilfried Zaha

74 mins

It's been a little quiet for a while now...

Nothing to report.

72 mins

On: Arnaud Souquet, Léo Leroy

Off: Enzo Tchato, Joris Chotard

67 mins

On: Faitout Maouassa

Off: Béni Makouana

GOAL: Palace 4-1 Montpellier

65 mins

Stephy Mavididi takes his goal well, striking under Guaita from wide in the box.

Palace subs

60 mins

On: Luka Milivojević, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Nathaniel Clyne

Off: Cheick Doucouré, Odsonne Edouard, Joel Ward

It was an absolute shift from the three coming off.

Montpellier have also made a switch.

On: Jordan Ferri

Off: Téji Savanier

53 mins

Eze is closing in on a deserved goal of his own, but just miscues a shot at close range.

Staying alert

52 mins

Despite having aquiet afternoon, Vicente Guaita is switched on enough to make a strong diving save.

Close!

51 mins

Eze almost adds a goal to his assist today by launching the ball goal-bound from 25 yards. The shot, however, sails deceptively wide.

GOAL! Palace 4-0 Montpellier

50 mins

Marc Guéhi has now got involved with the scoring, heading home an Eberechi Eze corner.

Back underway

46 mins

We're back in action, and Patrick Vieira has made a change:

On: Will Hughes

Off: Jeffrey Schlupp

Seems like you're happy with that half...

Half-time: Palace 3-0 Montpellier

15:50

That's it for the first-half, and Palace enter the break in the driving seat.

GOAL! Palace 3-0 Montpellier

44 mins

It's two for Edouard! The Frenchman bags his second moments before half-time by slotting in from within the box.

He had a lot of work to do to find a shooting position, but battled for it well and took his goal with composure.

43 mins

Palace are really in control here, passing the ball at their leisure and pitching themselves 35 yards from goal.

GOAL! Palace 2-0 Montpellier

33 mins

Odsonne Edouard adds his name to the scoresheet with a well-taken header.

The move began in earnest when Zaha sent a long cross towards the back post, where Joel Ward did well to head it back into the box.

With 'keeper Omlin wrong-footed, Edouard planted home from 10 yards.

Substitution

29 mins

Today's first substitution comes from the visitors:

On: Valère Germain

Off: Arnaud Nordin

GOAL! Palace 1-0 Montpellier

23 mins

It's another pre-season goal from Wilf, taken well and with power from the edge of the box.

The Ivorian received the ball on the break from Eberechi Eze on the other wing and drove hard and low past goalkeeper Jonas Omlin.

It's a great way to bag his fifth from three.

The story so far

20 mins

The players are taking a drinks break after a steady first 20 minutes. With the return to competitive football less than a week away neither team have thrown themselves at this game, but Palace will feel pleased with a dominant performance so far.

Close!

17 mins

That's the best chance of the half: Wilfried Zaha has a close-range effort cleared off the line after Odsonne Edouard bounced a well-spotted pass to him.

Shortly after the Frenchman strikes wide with a bicycle kick.

14 mins

The hosts create their first sign of attacking danger when Stephy Mavididi almost forces his way through the backline, only to foul Joachim Andersen in the process.

If at first you don't succeed...

7 mins

Palace win a free-kick from Téji Savanier in an identical spot to the last one. This time the visiting defence clears it.

5 mins

Eberechi Eze whips a free-kick towards the back post, but it's slightly behind Marc Guéhi, who strikes the ball high.

We're off

15:03

We're underway in bright sunshine here at Selhurst. Kick-off's a little late, but then there are no Premier League fines in pre-season.

Not long to go

14:53

Check out the lads training in SE25 before today's clash, and get set for the game straight after at 15:00.

14:20

Fans arriving today will be greeted by new designs over the portacabin. Check out what else has changed here.

Did you know?

14:15

Jean-Philippe Mateta played his first two Lyon matches against Montpellier in 2016/17; both times his side won heavily: 5-0 and 5-1.

14:10

Familiar face: Mamadou Sakho joined Montpellier after leaving Palace in 2021.

He isn't named in the squad today, but played 23 times for the Ligue 1 club last season.

Team news

14:00

The teams are in, with Patrick Vieira naming Chris Richards in his first Palace squad.

Read more here.

Palace: Guaita, Ward, Guéhi, Andersen, Mitchell, Schlupp, Doucouré, Eze, Ayew, Zaha, Edouard.

Subs: Goodman, Whitworth, Tomkins, Richards, Clyne, Ferguson, Riedewald, Hughes, Milivojević, Ebiowei, Plange, Benteke.

Montpellier: Omlin, Sainte-Luce, Tchato, Esteve, Chotard, Mavidi, Sacko, Savanier, Khazri, Makouana, Nordin.

Subs: Bertaud, Allix, Cozza, Ferri, Germain, Loubatieres, Maouassa, Souqet.

13:45

It's 15 minutes to team news, the Montpellier squad are inspecting the pitch and fans are starting to take their seats.

Find out how to follow today's clash live.

Pre-season concludes

13:30

Fans are filling Selhurst Park for the first time since May as Crystal Palace host Montpellier in their final pre-season friendly.

The Premier League returns in less than a week and Patrick Vieira's men are taking on former Ligue 1 champions in preparation.

Stay tuned right here for all the updates throughout the day.