Palace advance in League Cup with Oxford win

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Summary

• Patrick Vieira makes nine changes for this clash, handing debuts to Sam Johnstone, Kaden Rodney and Killian Phillips
• In a quiet first-half, neither side creates a major chance, but Odsonne Edouard comes closest with a header just past the post
• Sam Johnstone denies Cameron Brannagan from 20 yards
• Half-time: Oxford United 0-0 Crystal Palace
• Palace look somewhat brighter in the second-half and step-up their efforts following a few substitutions
• Eberechi Eze looks lively and sparks an offensively improved display from the visitors
• After a few close chances, Edouard takes the lead by striking low past Eddie McGinty
• With minutes left on the clock Luka Milivojević converts from the spot to ensure League Cup progression
• Full-time: Oxford United 0-2 Crystal Palace

The old adage at this stage of a knockout competition typically rings true: there’s no such thing as an easy match.

So it proved on Tuesday evening as Crystal Palace travelled to face Oxford United in the League Cup second round, ensuring their progression with a 2-0 win secured in the second-half.

The U’s held Palace level in the first-half with a relatively even display between two well-organised teams. Both sides had half chances and put the ball narrowly past the goal-frame on several occasions, but neither several threatened either ‘keeper.

By the half-time whistle Palace’s three debutants, Sam Johnstone, Killian Phillips and Kaden Rodney, could be pleased with a fairly strong display, but their attacking teammates were left frustrated with the net remaining untouched.

That changed in a slightly more energetic second-half, when several substitutions from Patrick Vieira spurred greater attacking impetus. Eberechi Eze in particular looked lively, pinning the Oxford defence back by linking-up with Michael Olise and creating chances along the left flank.

When the goal came, however, it was from one of the starting XI: Odsonne Edouard, who fired low past Eddie McGinty in goal to push his side ahead.

The south Londoners remained solid for the rest of the half and, with only injury time left to play, added an insurance policy second through Luka Milivojević’s late penalty.

The skipper fired home confidently, sending his side away from the Kassam stadium with a third round tie confirmed.

Rodney reflects on debut

22:37

Here's what debutant Kaden Rodney told Palace TV: “[I found out] only a couple of hours before the game, actually,” Rodney told Palace TV. “So it was a shock. I didn’t want to do that [text people] – I messaged the ones closest to me and got my head down and tried to do my best out there.

“He [Vieira] just told me he knows he has faith in me, so go out there and do what I can do and influence the game.”

From the gaffer

22:15

Patrick Vieira praised 17-year-old Kaden Rodney for his debut performance, saying: “I have to say I’m really pleased and think Kaden and Killian did really well. Kaden is normally a right-back and today played as a left-back.

“It’s not his best position but he was really composed, went forward at times and I think tactically he was really good. He is really young but showed something really interesting for us."

Read more from the manager here.

Man of the Match

21:42

Who gets your vote?

Full-time: Oxford United 0-2 Crystal Palace

21:38

That's it for the match action here at the Kassam.

It wasn't easy by any stretch, but Palace progress to the third round with confidence.

Stay tuned for all the reaction.

GOAL! Oxford 0-2 Palace - Milivojević (P)

90 mins

Luka converts from the spot! Of course he does.

It's as confident as you'd expect from the skipper, who appears to have secured League Cup progression with only added time left to play.

PENALTY

89 mins

Penalty to Palace with minutes left.

Substitutions

77 mins

Oxford

On: Tyler Goodrham

Off: John Mousinho

Palace

On: Malcolm Ebiowei, Jordan Ayew

Off: Odsonne Edouard, Michael Olise

Ayew's taken the centre-forward spot while Ebiowei heads for the right of the front three.

GOAL! Oxford 0-1 Palace - Edouard

73 mins

It felt like a goal was coming, and sure enough Edouard strikes low past the 'keeper having broken through into the box.

Substitution

70 mins

On: Slavi Spasov

Off: Lewis Bate

Close!

69 mins

This is brighter from Palace, with Edouard heading narrowly over on the end of a flying Olise free-kick.

68 mins

Eze's made a difference so far, linking-up with Olise on the opposite flank and orchestrating a few moves along the left.

Substitutions

62 mins

Oxford

On: Matty Taylor, Kyle Joseph, Oisin Smyth

Off: Gatlin O'Donkor, Josh Johnson, Billy Bodin

Palace

On: Tyrick Mitchell, Eberechi Eze

Off: Kaden Rodney, Jean-Philippe Mateta

Rodney has given a good account of himself tonight.

Eze has moved to the left-wing with Edouard shifting to the centre. Mitchell, unsurprisingly, has taken over at left-back.

59 mins

The ref has taken down Luka Milivojević's name as the game starts to see more fouls than passes. It's been quite stop-start over the last few minutes.

Close!

55 mins

McGinty spills a ball sailing well into touch to concede a corner Chris Richards skims wide from.

Substitution

52 mins

On: Jeffrey Schlupp

Off: Killian Phillips

A strong debut for Killian.

Just before Palace make the change Lewis Bate goes into the book for a needlessly physical challenge on Mateta.

Back underway

45 mins

The second-half has kicked-off. Both teams will be looking to make more of half-chances over the next 45 minutes.

Oxford's last cup match ended with a 93rd-minute equaliser and went straight to penalties. If we're still level around 21:30 tonight, this clash will also go to spot kicks.

The numbers

Here's how it looked in the first-half.

Palace stats shown first

• Possession: 64.1% v 35.9%
• Shots: 4 v 4
• Corners: 0-3
• Fouls: 4 v 10

Half-time: Oxford United 0-0 Crystal Palace

It's been an even half so far.

Strong hands

45 mins

Sam Johnstone beats away a shot from Cameron Brannagan on the edge of the area.

43 mins

A real warning sign from Oxford there. O'Donkor flashed a ball across the face of goal but no one in yellow was there to meet it.

34 mins

Credit to the one Oxford fan leading the rest of the crowd in a chant, audible from the other side of the stadium.

You wouldn't want to be his neighbour.

Close!

32 mins

Mateta feeds Olise into a dangerous position and the winger cuts-back to Nathaniel Clyne in support.

Clyne stabs a cross into the box which Edouard heads narrowly wide at the far post.

24 mins

The game's settled down now and lost a little bit of the energy it started with.

The home fans threaten to start 'Come on, Oxford, come on,' early doors, but thankfully it doesn't catch first time round.

Go on, Odsonne

18 mins

Oxford begin to break towards Palace's left flank, with the back four recovering their positions closer to the opposite touchline.

Bursting back to cover them over 40 yards is Odsonne Edouard, whose pressure prevents the attack from gaining traction.

He's playing on the left of a front three currently, with Michael Olise on the right and Jean-Philippe Mateta down the middle.

Behind them is a solid bank of midfielders: Will Hughes, Luka Milivojević and Killian Phillips.

The back four sees Rodney on the left and Nathaniel Clyne on the right, with Marc Guéhi and Chris Richards at left-centre-back and right respectively.

16 mins

Michael Olise lofts a clever pass towards Odsonne Edouard but the Frenchman's effort is blocked, and Marc Guéhi can only poke the ball into McGinty from the resulting corner.

14 mins

Gatlin O'Donkor heads wide from 10 yards. That's a little closer than Palace would have liked.

12 mins

Will Hughes almost starts a counter-attack with some impressive skill on the edge of the box, but Oxford are well organised and close Palace quickly.

7 mins

There's a manic moment for Oxford 'keeper Eddie McGinty, who earns a yellow card for fouling Jean-Philippe Mateta miles out of his box on Palace's left touchline.

The shot stopper lost possession outside the box, and felled Mateta to prevent the Frenchman from taking advantage of the open goal.

5 mins

Tonight's first chance falls to Leeds loanee Lewis Bate, who drags his shot wide from the edge of the box.

Kick-off

1 min

We're underway here in Oxfordshire, with a well-filled away end getting behind the boys.

19:40

Remember, to follow live tonight, you'll have to grab your Palace TV+ pass for audio commentary.

Find out more here.

From the gaffer

19:20

Here's what Patrick Vieira said during the week about this game: "We will compete, we will want to go of course as far as we can [in the League Cup]. This is why we have training tomorrow [Sunday] to recover properly, because there is a game we want to win.

"Winning games builds confidence and we need to keep going. Look at the two performances against Liverpool and Arsenal, we had good performances but did not win those games. [Against Villa] we had a performance and managed to win, so what’s important for us is to maintain that."

How to follow

19:00

Tonight's game will not be broadcast anywhere, so if you're hoping to follow it by the second, you're best place with Palace TV+ audio commentary.

Meet the new boys

18:52

Phillps and Rodney are in-line for their first competitive starts tonight.

Find out more about the Academy prospects here.

Team news

18:45

The Palace side is in, with Vieira making nine changes from the last league match.

There are debuts for Sam Johnstone, Killian Phillips and Kaden Rodney, and a first start for Chris Richards.

Palace: Johnstone, Rodney, Richards, Guéhi, Clyne, Phillips, Milivojević, Hughes, Olise, Mateta, Edouard.

Subs: Guaita, Boateng, Mitchell, Doucouré, Schlupp, Wells-Morrison, Ebiowei, Eze, Ayew.

Last time out

18:40

With five minutes until team news, you have just enough time to recap the key moments from the Villa win.

Did you know?

18:35

Tonight will be Palace’s 200th game in the League Cup, having taken part in the inaugural competition 62 years ago.

In 199 previous fixtures, the Eagles have come out on top on 90 occasions, scoring more than 300 goals. Their first victory was four years in the making, coming in September 1964 against Tranmere Rovers.

You can find out the full breakdown of our League Cup history here.

The preview

18:25

Oxford sit 19th in League One after five matches. Karl Robinson's team have finished fourth, sixth and eighth respectively in the last three seasons, so are very much a club at the third-tier's top end.

But it's been a tough start to 21/22 so far, losing three of their opening five. U's fans will take heart from their first result in the League Cup, however, when they held Championship Swansea City to a 2-2 draw before winning 5-3 on penalties.

Find out more about today’s clash here.

Welcome from the Kassam

18:15

Good evening from the Kassam stadium in Oxford, where Crystal Palace are preparing for their League Cup clash against Oxford United.

It comes just three days after an end-to-end 3-1 win over Aston Villa for Palace and 1-1 draw with Morecambe for the U's.

We're going to cover everything today from the pre-match build-up to post-match reaction, with team news published at 18:45 and kick-off an hour later.

Stay tuned.