Report & Highlights: Spoils shared as Palace draw with Arsenal

Summary

• Three changes to the side with França starting

• 8: Marsh fires a shot just over the bar

• 18: Mustapha comes close to putting Palace ahead

• 19: Moulden bravely denies an Arsenal break

• 27 - GOAL: Marsh finishes from close range following a corner routine

• 40: Grante comes close to adding a second for Palace

• 45+2: Mustapha fires a long-range effort just wide of the post

• HT: Palace 1-0 Arsenal

• 50: Palace work it beautifully down the left, but Marsh is denied

• 55 - GOAL: Rosiak levels for Arsenal

• 63 - GOAL: S. Oulad M’hand puts Arsenal ahead with a free-kick

• 64 - GOAL: Mustapha instantly responds with a sensational solo effort

• 69: Marsh fires agonisingly wide

• 75: Gower’s effort is just wide for Arsenal

• 80: Palace defend well to stop a late Arsenal surge

• 85: Both sides have half-chances late on, but it remained level

• FT: Palace 2-2 Arsenal

A week on from the comfortable 2-0 win away at West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace Under-21s were back in action as they hosted London rivals Arsenal.

There were three changes to the side which beat the Baggies, with Caleb Kporha, Franco Umeh and first-team forward Matheus França coming in for Finley Marjoram, Rio Cardines and Ademola Ola-Adebomi.

Palace started the opening quarter of an hour brightly, with Zach Marsh leading the line. Jake Grante won the ball back high up the pitch to play it into the No. 9 Marsh, who held off his man and managed to get a shot away that was just over the bar.

That was Palace’s first attempt on goal, and it was followed up 10 minutes later with a Hindolo Mustapha attempt across the face, though it was saved by Lucas Nygaard in the Arsenal goal.

Louie Moulden was called into action to deny Arsenal’s first real attempts on goal shortly after Mustapha’ strike was saved. The Palace shot-stopper made an initial save to deny Samuel Onyekachukwu, before diving down to stop Khayon Edwards from finishing from close range.

Palace found the breakthrough with 27 minutes on the clock. A well-worked corner routine saw it played short to Mustapha, who skipped past two challenges to find França in the box.

The Brazilian smashed it across the face of goal and Marsh was on hand to get the decisive touch to divert it in, taking his tally for the season up to four.

França almost had another assist just before the break, as he played a near-perfect ball into the box that beat all the Arsenal defenders, Grante’s effort to reach it on the slide was just inches short of making contact.

Mustapha meanwhile pounced on a loose ball with seconds remaining in the half, firing a fierce shot agonisingly wide of the post.

After the interval, both sides were in search of the second goal of the contest. Palace again started brightly, with Marsh, França and half-time substitute Rio Cardines combining well down the left-hand side. Marsh’s effort at the end of the move was turned behind for a corner.

Just 10 minutes into the half, Arsenal managed to draw level. Michal Rosiak got the decisive touch, following a scramble to clear the ball away inside the box.

Momentum swung heavily in Arsenal’s favour after the equaliser, with the Gunners now enjoying an attacking spell. Seb Ferdinand was in behind looking to get Arsenal ahead, though a well-timed challenge from George King - in his second-ever start for the U21s - denied him.

Arsenal did get their noses in front just past the hour-mark, with Salah Oulad M’hand netting from a direct free-kick 25-yards out.

Their lead was incredibly short-lived, however, as Mustapha managed to equalise with a sensational solo effort. The Sierra Leone international ran half the length of the pitch, after picking up the ball from substitute Joe Gibbard, and managed to work it onto his left foot to bury it into the far corner.

At 2-2, it was anyone’s game with 20 minutes left on the clock. Marsh nearly got his second and Palace’s third, following great work from Gibbard in the build-up, but he dragged his attempt just wide of the mark.

Jimi Gower had two good attempts for the visitors, though he couldn’t find the target with either of them - the first being a volley inside the box and the second a header that was guided wide.

Ultimately, neither side found the odd goal in five to claim the three points that were on offer. The result means Darren Powell and his side slip to seventh place in the Premier League 2 on goal difference.

They are level on points with Chelsea and rivals Brighton & Hove Albion, with three games left to play before the play-off stage. The top 16 sides qualify for the Premier League 2 play-offs.

Palace: Moulden (GK), Kporha (Gibbard, 65), King, Grante, Browne, Reid, Umeh (Cardines, HT), Austin (Rodney, 65), Marsh (Derry, 89), Mustapha, França (Ola-Adebomi, 65).

Arsenal: Nygaard (GK), Rosiak, Nichols, Onyekachukwu, Clarke (Washington, 84), Henry-Francis, Ferdinand, Gower, Edwards, S. Oulad M’hand, Kamara.

Subs not used: Ismail, Ranson (GK), I. Oulad M’hand, Casey.