Report & Highlights: Tale of two stunners as Eagles held by the Blues

Summary

• Mofe Jemide and Hindolo Mustapha returned to the side

• Franco Umeh fired just wide early on

• Samuel Rak-Sakyi and Zain Silcott-Duberry missed chances for Chelsea

• Cormac Austin cleared a Harrison Murray-Campbell header off the line on the stroke of half-time

• Half-time: Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace

• Adler Nascimento put Palace ahead three minutes after the restart

• Chelsea won a penalty, but Ronnie Stutter hit the crossbar

• The hosts equalised through a long-range Tyrique George effort on the hour-mark

• David Obou nearly put Palace ahead with an effort at the near post

• Jackson Izquierdo turned an effort from Ato Ampah behind with 10 minutes remaining

• Full-time: Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace

A week on from the eleventh hour draw with Norwich City, Crystal Palace Under-18s travelled to Cobham to take on Chelsea in their final away game of the season.

Manager Rob Quinn made two changes from the side that drew with the Canaries, as Mofe Jemide and Hindolo Mustapha came in for George King and Basilio Socoliche.

Both sides had half-chances early on at the start of the game. The in-form Franco Umeh fired wide of the mark with the Eagles’ first chance of note, while Samuel Rak-Sakyi and Zain Silcott-Duberry both had chances that didn’t test Jackson Izquierdo in the Palace goal.

This set the precedent for the rest of the half, as neither side could fashion any clear-cut chances. The Blues, however, did threaten late on from a corner. A floated ball in found Harrison Murray-Campbell who saw his looping header cleared off the line by Cormac Austin.

Both teams went into the break after a lacklustre first-half, leaving a lot to be desired in the second 45.

Palace came out the blocks in the second-half on the front foot and managed to break the deadlock just three minutes in. Excellent pressing from the front by Vonnte Williams saw him win the ball back in the final third and it broke nicely to Adler Nascimento.

The winger let the ball run across his body and shaped to shoot on his right foot at the edge of the box - bending a sensational effort into the top corner to give the south Londoners the lead.

Chelsea looked to find a way back into the game and were presented with a golden opportunity to equalise from the spot just two minutes after the young Eagles got their noses in front.

Ronnie Stutter, Chelsea’s No. 9 and captain, stepped up from 12-yards and went for power over placement - hitting the crossbar Izquierdo dived to his right. A reprieve for Palace as they were almost immediately pegged back.

The hosts weren’t disheartened by the penalty miss, as they managed to fashion two chances in quick succession shortly afterwards. Silcott-Duberry saw a curling effort go wide of the mark, while Donnell McNeilly’s near post flick on from a corner glanced across the face of goal.

On the hour-mark, the Blues managed to draw level through a stunning Tyrique George strike. The winger dropped deep to receive the ball before unleashing a fierce effort from 35 yards out to level the scores.

It was now all to play for in the 30 minutes that remained. Palace’s best effort to reclaim the lead came from second-half substitute David Obou - the winger was played in by Rio Cardines down the right hand side and managed to skip past three Chelsea defenders before seeing his shot at the near post saved by Max Merrick.

Just moments after Obou’s chance, Chelsea came racing down the other end and Silcott-Duberry’s cross was met by McNeilly, though the forward couldn’t get a clean connection on his header.

Chances came thick and fast in the final 10 minutes of the game for the hosts, though the Palace defence were equal to their efforts. An exceptional block from Jemide kept McNeilly’s shot out and an even better save from Izquierdo on Kiano Dyer’s follow-up kept the scores level.

After three minutes of stoppage time, the referee brought an end to proceedings. The draw means the young Eagles remain in second place in the U18 Premier League South, two points clear of Fulham in third, three clear of Spurs in fourth and four clear of Chelsea in fifth.

Crystal Palace: Izquierdo (GK), Marjoram, Cardines, Jemide, Williams, Reid, Austin, Mustapha (Dashi, 88), Umeh (Obou, 57), Marsh, Nascimento (Agbinone, 88).

Subs not used: Eastwood (GK), King.

Chelsea: Merrick (GK), McMahon, Wilson, Murray-Campbell, Boniface, Rak-Sakyi, Silcott-Duberry, Dyer, Stutter (Mhueka, 69 (Ampah, 76)), McNeilly, George.

Subs not used: Russell-Denny, Hay, Chibueze.