Report & Highlights: Eagles see off Foxes in comfortable victory

Summary

• Seven changes to the side which faced Fulham on Monday

• 1: Palace start brightly and force a corner in the opening 20 seconds

• 15 - GOAL: Ola-Adebomi puts Palace ahead with a well-taken finish

• 17: Palace come close to doubling the lead, Austin’s shot fires wide

• 19: Ola-Adebomi has a chance to double the lead moments later that’s saved

• 40: Leicester have two free-kicks that are easily dealt with

• HT: Leicester 0-1 Palace

• 49: Grante threatens the Leicester defence early on in the second-half

• 70: Derry nets a second, but it’s ruled out for offside

• 80: Cardines’ attempt at a narrow angle is turned behind

• 82 - GOAL: Mustapha doubles the lead late on with a good finish

• 90+2: Rodney almost adds a third with an outside of the boot effort

• FT: Leicester 0-2 Palace

Following swiftly on from the narrow defeat 1-0 to high-flying Fulham on Monday evening, Crystal Palace Under-21s were back in action as they travelled to face Leicester City.

There were seven changes to the side which faced Fulham, with only Louie Moulden, Luke Browne, Seán Grehan and Jack Wells-Morrison keeping their places in the side.

Palace nearly took the lead in the opening 20 seconds of the game, though the Leicester defence managed to scramble it out for a corner.

A quarter of an hour in, the Eagles managed to take the lead with the first chance of the game. Ademola Ola-Adebomi was played through by Malcolm Ebiowei, and the striker took a touch to disorient his marker and finish with ease on his left foot.

Within minutes of taking the lead, the Eagles were quickly searching for another. Cormac Austin fired wide, while Ola-Adebomi’s effort was saved by Steve Bausor in the Leicester goal.

Chances were few and far between as the first-half went on in the sub-zero conditions at the King Power Performance Centre. Leicester’s best attempts came from two free-kicks, though they were easily dealt with by the Palace defence.

The second-half left a lot to be desired from both sides, and when the two sides emerged after the interval Palace were on the front foot.

Jake Grante threatened with a cross-come-shot across the box, which never got a decisive touch to divert it goalbound.

Leicester pressed for an equaliser as the half went on, though Louie Moulden was not troubled at all in his goal.

Second-half substitute Jesse Derry thought he had netted a second for Palace in the 70th minute shortly after coming on, though he was adjudged to be offside.

In the final 10 minutes, Palace managed to double their lead and see the game off. Rio Cardines saw an effort from a narrow angle turned behind, before Hindolo Mustapha found the back of the net moments later.

Picked out by Luke Plange on the edge of the box, Mustapha turned to beat his man and then picked out the far corner with a finish on his right foot.

A late chance in stoppage time from Kaden Rodney was close to adding a third, however his effort with the outside of his boot was blocked.

Palace held on to secure the win and clean sheet. Three points away at Leicester sees the side move up to seventh place in the Premier League 2, level on points with Manchester United.

Leicester: Bausor (GK), Joseph, Aluko, Godsmark-Ford, Wormleighton, Cartwright, Monga, Page (Ali, 86), Evans, Ewing (Neale, 60), Briggs (Pennant, 67).

Subs not used:French (GK), Grist.

Palace: Moulden (GK), Grante, Browne, Holding, Grehan, Austin (Rodney, 65), Umeh (Cardines, HT), Wells-Morrison, Ola-Adebomi (Plange, 65), Ebiowei (Derry, 55), Gibbard (Mustapha, 73).