Report & Highlights: Palace draw with Charlton in pre-season

Summary:

• Sweltering sun welcomes pre-season exercise.
• Starts in South London for new signings Riad and Kamada.
• 5: Ayew hits the side-netting early on inside the box.
• 23: Edouard and Ayew go close from distance in half of few openings.
• 34: Charlton take the lead through impressive Aneke goal.
• 43: Palace finish half strongly as Ayew tests Maynard-Brewer from range.
• HT: Palace 0-1 Charlton
• 50: Kamada’s clipped cross is close to picking out Riad six yards out.
• 60: Ayew’s corner headed out to Hughes, whose volley flies over the bar.
• 62: A raft of substitutions takes place for both sides.
• 68: Kamada’s clever footwork sees the forward hit the side netting.
• 75: Campbell hits the post from distance for Charlton.
• 90: Rak-Sakyi links up with Kamada to draw Palace level at the death.
• FT: Palace 1-1 Charlton

A sweltering summer’s day saw a tight match played out in 30-plus degrees Celsius at the Palace Academy, with a number of international players still to return – but starts for recent arrivals Chadi Riad and Daichi Kamada in Palace shirts.

In truth, despite the long association between South London clubs Palace and Charlton, the match played out much like a pre-season affair typically does – an valuable in gaining match minutes at this early stage of preparations.

Chances proved few and far between, although it was the Eagles who went close first after five minutes. A gallivant from Riad saw him slide Tyrick Mitchell in on the overlap. The wing-back’s low ball in found Jordan Ayew at the near post, but under pressure, he sliced an effort into the side netting.

Odsonne Edouard was next to go close with an interchange of passes with Joel Ward making space for an effort from the edge of the box, but his shot flew over the bar; Ayew also tested his luck from distance, but it was a comfortable enough save for Charlton ‘keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer.

Indeed, it was a shot from distance which eventually broke the deadlock on 34 minutes – for the visitors. A long ball forwards was flicked on by Thierry Small and Daniel Kanu ran onto it, laying off for Chuks Aneke who – 25 yards out – picked out the top corner with an impressive side-footed effort.

Palace did, however, finish the half strongly with a succession of corner kicks, one of which narrowly evaded Rob Holding six yards out. Ayew tested Maynard-Brewer from distance once more.

Oliver Glasner’s side emerged in the second-half with renewed purpose and, five minutes in, it was almost a case of signing teeing up signing when Kamada’s clever flat cross whistled just over the head of Riad, who dove to meet the ball – but it narrowly evaded him.

Further efforts from distance followed, Will Hughes trying his luck with a volley from Ayew’s corner on the hour mark – but the midfielder did not quite catch his effort cleanly.

In typical pre-season fashion, a succession of substitutions followed after 62 minutes, with Cheick Doucouré, Naouirou Ahamada, David Ozoh and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi all entering the fray.

As the half wore on, so too did Kamada’s influence on the game, the Japan international beginning to spray some lovely passes around the Charlton box – before coming close to finding the equaliser on 58 minutes.

After a cross had been flicked on by a Charlton defender, Kamada retrieved the ball on the left, cut inside a defender, feinted to cross – and instead fired a fierce effort towards the bottom near corner. The ball took a nick and whistled just wide of the post – but it was a sign of things to come.

The match was beginning to open up and, on 75 minutes, it could have been put out of sight. Tyreece Campbell’s incisive run from the left flank led to the winger curling an effort from 25 yards which bounced round Sam Johnstone but, thankfully, hit the upright before ricocheting away.

Then, in the 90th minute, Rak-Sakyi’s moment of magic – and against the side who he starred for on loan two seasons ago, no less.

A quick ball forwards from David Ozoh was laid off by Kamada into the winger’s path and, stepping inside two Charlton defenders, he feinted to shoot – sitting one marker down – before advancing into the box and rolling a precise right-footed effort across goal and into the bottom corner.

It was the least Palace deserved for their efforts on a sweltering day, and one which proved a valuable exercise for an Eagles side only a small amount of time into their 24/25 training.