Report: Liverpool comeback stuns Palace in PL Cup group

Summary

• Two changes to the side which faced Villa

• 6: Walker-Smith heads Palace ahead

• 18: Derry doubles the lead from the spot

• 23: Liverpool pull one back through Sonni-Lambe

• 36: Lonmeni equalises for Liverpool

• 39: Liverpool take the lead via Ahmed

• 45: Somade gets a crucial block to deny Liverpool from getting another

• HT: Palace 2-3 Liverpool

• 47: Henry has a chance to level early on that goes narrowly wide

• 54: Hill saves Sonni-Lambe’s penalty

• 61: Bradshaw adds a fourth for Liverpool

• 69: Osei sees a show saved by Hall

• 74: Bradshaw rounds off the scoring with his second and Liverpool’s fifth

• FT: Palace 2-5 Liverpool

Crystal Palace Under-18s were back on home soil, after the defeat to Aston Villa in the West Midlands, welcoming Liverpool to Copers Cope.

Head coach Rob Quinn made two changes to the side which lost to Villa, with Benjamin Casey and Matteo Dashi returning to the side in place of Jerome Osei and Kai-Reece Adams-Collman.

The Eagles got off to the perfect start, taking the lead early on in the game. Charlie Walker-Smith reacted quickest to get on the end of a wide free-kick that was floated in by Freddie Cowin.

The defender found himself in space to finish on his right foot, registering his first goal of the campaign and Cowin’s fifth assist.

Just over 10 minutes later, the lead was doubled as Jesse Derry notched his ninth goal of the campaign from the spot. Casey was brought down inside the box and the in-form Derry stepped up from 12-yards to convert, sending goalkeeper Bailey Hall the wrong way.

The visitors found a route back into the game, with Josh Sonni-Lambe managing to score from distance as his shot crept in below Marcus Hill.

Liverpool then equalised with 10 minutes left of the first-half, as Scofield Lonmeni scored with a shot across the face of goal following a breakaway.

Moments after their equaliser, the red half of Merseyside managed to take the lead, with Kareem Ahmed reacting quickest to turn in an effort that was initially saved by Hill on the rebound.

Palace had it all to do now, after seeing their two-goal advantage dissolve, but it was Liverpool who were on the front foot. Astute defending from Sean Somade kept the visitors at bay on the stroke of half-time.

Zack Henry nearly levelled for Palace immediately after the restart, though his looping header went just wide of the post.

Liverpool were awarded a penalty just over 10 minutes into the second-half, but Marcus Hill reacted brilliantly to save Sonni-Lambe’s effort from 12-yards.

Joe Bradshaw netted on the hour-mark for Liverpool, pouncing on a rebound, to give the visitors a two-goal advantage.

Second-half substitute Jerome Osei nearly made an instant impact off the bench for Palace, but it wasn’t to be as his effort was smothered by Hall in the Liverpool goal.

Bradshaw rounded off the scoring for the visitors with 15 minutes to play. The result means that Group G is wide open, with all four teams on three points apiece, heading into the final fixture.

Palace: Hill (GK), Muwana (Whyte, 58), Cowin, Walker-Smith, Somade, King, Henry (Drakes-Thomas, 68), Williams, Casey (Osei, 68), Dashi (Adams-Collman, 78), Derry.

Sub not used: Mason (GK).

Liverpool: Hall (GK), Esadille, Ewing, Pitt, Enahoro-Marcus, O’Connor, Bradshaw, Ayman, Sonni-Lambe, Ahmed, Lonmeni.

Subs not used: Bernard (GK), Fernell-Gill, Evers, Martin, Cisse.