Report & Highlights: Kamada pounces to secure draw in pre-season finale

Summary:

• Guéhi, Eze & Muñoz make first starts of pre-season.
• Kamada makes Selhurst Park debut from the start.
• 2: Henderson turns behind low Kadewere effort.
• 5: Eze sees goalbound effort blocked after intercepting loose pass.
• 18 – GOAL: Castelletto produces bullet header to give Nantes the lead.
• 27: Hughes blasts an effort just clear of the bar as Eagles apply pressure.
• 32: Andersen heads over from a corner.
• 35: Eze pulls wide from Muñoz pull-back.
• 39: Andersen and Guéhi make important blocks at the other end.
• HT: Palace 0-1 Nantes
• 52: Augusto tackle denies Eze moments before Henderson kicks Simon shot away.
• 60 – GOAL: Kamada converts Mitchell's cross from close range.
• 61: Palace make six substitutions as Glasner shuffles his pack; Sarr debuts.
• 89: Ayew makes room inside the box, but sees effort blocked.
• FT: Palace 1-1 Nantes

A glorious midsummer’s day welcomed football’s return to Selhurst Park, with a hearty crowd treated to the sight of three of Palace’s international finalists – Daniel Muñoz, Marc Guéhi and Ebere Eze – making their first starts of the pre-season period.

Also among the starting XI was Selhurst debutant Kamada, with fellow new arrivals Chadi Riad and Ismaïla Sarr available for Oliver Glasner to call upon in the second-half.

With the sun beating down on both teams’ backs, the match admittedly ebbed and flowed, but both teams made energetic starts.

Just before the two-minute mark, Palace ‘keeper Dean Henderson was called into action when Tino Kadewere cleverly made space inside the box. The shot was well-struck, low and firm – but Henderson reacted instinctively to stick a leg out and divert the ball behind.

Up the other end, and Nantes ‘keeper Alban Lafont almost presented Eze with the opener. With Muñoz on his tail, the ‘keeper’s errant pass went straight to Eze on the edge of the box, but his eventual effort was blocked by a trailing defender near the goal line.

It was the visitors who eventually capitalised after 18 minutes – and, credit where it’s due, it was a superb header from their captain Castelletto, rising high, among three players, from a corner, but still generating plenty of power from beyond the penalty spot to find the roof of the net.

That paved the way for a spell of sustained Palace pressure, the Eagles dominating possession and consistently probing, without quite finding a killer pass to match.

Then, prior to half-time, a flurry of chances: Will Hughes’ arrowed effort came close to finding the top corner; Joachim Andersen peeled off to the near post from a corner, but flicked his header wide; and Eze found himself in decent space inside the box but, having taken a delightful touch to round a trailing defender, failed to make clean contact on his finish, dragging wide.

Nantes were not without threat themselves, however, with the home team indebted to two important blocks from Andersen and Guéhi shortly before the half-time whistle.

The two teams re-emerged after the break unchanged, and the pattern of play was similar: the Eagles carrying most of the possession and indeed threat, but Nantes not without their chances on the counter.

It was exemplified best when another fine last-ditch challenge from Douglas Augusto denied Eze from a Tyrick Mitchell pull-back – only for Nantes to race up the pitch and for Moses Simon to force Henderson into a sharp stop at his near post.

Then, on the hour mark, the Eagles finally produced the goal their efforts deserved. Another fizzing first-time Mitchell cross bounced up and evaded Odsonne Edouard at the near post, but trundled through to Kamada who, from six yards out, could not miss with the goal at his mercy.

That paved the way for six further Palace substitutions, including a debut for new signing Ismaïla Sarr, who lined up on the right-hand side of attack.

Nantes were soon to follow with their own array of changes, with the pace of the game admittedly slowing thereafter.

Jordan Ayew was perhaps the brightest spark in a red and blue shirt, drawing several fouls which led to free-kicks in promising positions, but the visitors defended the deliveries well.

With just over a minute left, it looked like the No. 9’s quick feet may have bought him space to blast home the winner – but his effort was once again charged down.

Another valuable exercise and, with their pre-season now concluded unbeaten across five matches, Palace can look forward to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign in earnest.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Muñoz (Clyne, 55), Richards (Ward, 83), Andersen, Guéhi (Riad, 61), Mitchell, Wharton (Doucouré, 61), Hughes (Lerma, 61), Kamada (Sarr, 61), Eze (Ayew, 61), Edouard (Schlupp, 61).

Subs: Matthews (GK), Holding, Rodney, Umeh, Ahamada, Devenny.

As It Happened