Report & Highlights: Ten-man Palace fall to Liverpool comeback

Summary

• Five changes to the side with Rak-Sakyi and Ebiowei starting

• Play was broken up early on due to a number of injuries

• Ola-Adebomi put Palace ahead with their first attempt of the game 13 minutes in

• Izquierdo pulled off some strong stops to deny Koumas

• Palace are reduced to 10 men as Devenny is shown a second yellow 40 minutes in

• Liverpool take the lead a minute later through Glatzel

• HT: Palace 1-2 Liverpool

• Koumas adds a third for Liverpool in the 51st minute

• Izquierdo is called into action multiple times throughout the half

• Koumas secures a brace late on

• Umeh pulls one back for Palace in second-half stoppage time

• FT:  Palace 2-4 Liverpool

After a draw in midweek against Athletic Club in the Premier League International Cup, Crystal Palace Under-21s turned their attention back to the Premier League 2 as they hosted Liverpool at Copers Cope.

Darren Powell made five changes to the side which drew with the Basque giants, with Jackson Izquierdo, David Oozh, Malcolm Ebiowei, Ademola Ola-Adeobmi and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi all coming in for Joe Whitworth, Jadan Raymond, Hindolo Mustapha, Franco Umeh and Victor Akinwale.

The visitors were on the front foot in the first 10 minutes, creating three chances of their own where Palace’s defence was called into action. Chris Francis, Noah Watson and Ozoh all did well to block shots that were goalbound.

Palace withstood the early pressure from Liverpool and managed to take the lead with their first attempt on goal. The visitor’s defence failed to clear the ball after great work down the right hand side from Rak-Sakyi and Danny Imray, and it fell to Ola-Adebomi inside the box.

The Palace No. 9 controlled it on his chest, took a touch, and hit it with the outside of his left boot - beating Marcelo Pitaluga in the Liverpool goal, despite him getting fingertips to it.

Palace were a goal to the good, and were in search of another goal to double their lead. Rak-Sakyi and Imray were still a strong threat down the right, with the two skipping past challenges and combining well, though it was Liverpool who found the second goal of the game.

On the half hour mark, Mateus Musialowski found space in midfield and laid it off to Liverpool’s skipper Tom Hill. The pair drove forward and the Polish forward was picked out by his captain and finished from the edge of the box.

Goalkeeper Jackson Izquierdo, in his second start of the campaign, did well to quash attempts from Lewis Koumas and Bobby Clark as the hosts looked for the equaliser.

Liverpool were back in the game after netting the equaliser and Palace’s task of reclaiming the lead was made that little bit harder by going down to 10 men before the end of the first-half. Justin Devenny was unfortunately shown a second yellow card for what looked like a rather innocuous foul in the middle of the park.

After going a man down, the Eagles’ misery was compounded with Liverpool taking the lead just a minute later. A searching ball into the box from Clark found Glatzel who headed a looping effort in from inside the six-yard box.

The Merseyside outfit almost had a third before half-time, though Izquierdo stood tall to make a strong save at his near post following a three-on-three counter attack.

After the break, the visitors managed to find a third. Just six minutes in, a quickly taken free-kick found Luke Chambers on a surging run forward. Paul Glatzel was picked out on the edge of the box and curled an effort in from close range.

With Liverpool having a man advantage and a two-goal cushion, Palace were under the cosh as the half went on. Izquierdo was called into action multiple times, making great saves to deny Musialowski and Koumas among others.

The Reds managed to find a fourth late on and almost completely killed off the game. Koumas got his second of the game with a dinked effort looping in over Izquierdo.

Franco Umeh pulled a goal back for Palace deep into second-half stoppage time, but it wasn’t to be. The result means the side remain in 24th place out of a possible 26th in the Premier League 2, four points off the knock-out stage.

Palace: Izquierdo (GK), Imray (Ferguson, 63), Grehan, Francis, Watson (Adaramola, 63), Ozoh, Devenny, Mathurin (Raymond, 45), Ebiowei, Ola-Adeobmi, Rak-Sakyi (Umeh, 78).

Sub not used: Eastwood (GK).

Liverpool: Pitaluga (GK), Miles (Davidson, 90+1), Chambers, Pinnington, Nallo, McConnell, Glatzel, Hill (Pilling, 90+1), Musialowski, Clark, Koumas (Kone-Doherty, 87).

Subs not used: Kelly (GK), Nyoni.