Report & highlights: Palace lift Stateside Cup after West Ham win

Summary:

• Palace make a single change, with Ayew replacing Wharton.
• The Eagles lead inside 30 seconds, with Mitchell volleying into the top corner.
• Hughes and Edouard are denied in quick succession by Fabianski.
• Antonio latches on to a loose backpass to equalise.
• Andersen denies Emerson from close range.
• Ayew narrowly misses the target on the stroke of half-time.
• HT: West Ham 1-1 Palace
• Mitchell’s last-gasp challenge saves an almost certain goal.
• A fantastic looping header from Schlupp gives Palace the lead once again.
• Edouard slots home minutes later to add a third.
• FT: West Ham 1-3 Palace

Having beaten Wolves in Annapolis, the Eagles rounded off our tour of the United States in perfect fashion.

The Eagles made the ideal start, scoring what is surely the fastest goal in Stateside Cup history. A ball into the penalty area had been badly dealt with and a half-clearance had found Tyrick Mitchell on the edge of the penalty area, who smashed into the top corner to get things started in style.

It sparked a dominant period for Palace in the opening stages, with Will Hughes sweeping towards the far corner only to be denied by Lukasz Fabianski, before a jinking run from Odsonne Edouard ended with another smart save.

Despite their dominance, the Eagles were pegged back out of the blue, with Michail Antonio latching on to a loose backpass and slotting past Dean Henderson, against the run of play.

It could have been a full turnaround had Joachim Andersen not stepped in, sliding across to deny Emerson when he looked to be smashing into an open goal, after a mishit cross caught everyone out and struck the outside of the post.

Just before half-time Jordan Ayew could have given Palace the lead once again, found eight yards out in plenty of space but curling narrowly wide of the post.

West Ham could have taken the lead early in the second-half, with Antonio racing forwards on the counter attack and picking out James Ward-Prowse in behind, only for Mitchell to race back and poke it behind.

Then, Palace struck – twice in quick succession. The lead was regained with a fantastic header from Jeff Schlupp, looping over the goalkeeper under pressure from the defender for his second in as many games.

Schlupp was instrumental two minutes later, winning the ball back high up-field for Edouard to slot under Fabianski.

With a two-goal cushion, Palace found the freedom to push forwards with real pace, as Daichi Kamada set up Schlupp one-on-one, only for Fabianski to save, and the game was closed off in confident fashion.

The result meant a 100 percent record for Palace in the United States, and saw the Eagles lift the Stateside Cup to round off a successful tour.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Mitchell, Andersen, Riad, Richards, Clyne, Hughes, Kamada, Schlupp (Umeh, 85), Edouard (Mathurin, 85), Ayew (Rodney, 85).

Subs not used: Matthews (GK), Rak-Sakyi, Devenny.