U18s Report & Highlights: Late goals deny rotated Eagles deserved point at Norwich

Summary:

• Javier Alonso makes nine changes to the side that triumphed over United, giving his players a well-earned rest after two major fixtures – the FA Youth Cup semi-final and the PL Cup Final – in the space of five days, including a first competitive U18 start for Thiago Speroni.
• 5: Speroni is called into early action, producing a strong one-on-one save to deny the Norwich forward.
• 10: Done Martin battles past Augusto and beats 'keeper Henry Bullen, but Takudzwa Gwanzura is on hand to clear off the line.
• 13 – GOAL: Martin times his run perfectly to latch onto Remi Shittu’s beautifully weighted pass in behind, before coolly slotting past the onrushing Bullen.
• 25: Shittu’s throw is flicked on by Martin into the path of Mylo Bernard, who is sent clear on goal but fires over the bar.
• 35: The contest remains evenly poised, with neither side having any real chances of note.
• 44: Daniel Owoade strikes low and hard across a diving Bullen, but wide of the far post.
• One minute is added...
• HT: Norwich U18s 0-1 Palace U18s
• 46 – GOAL: Norwich level through Reuben Cooper.
• 53: Martin’s tame strike is straight down the ‘keepers throat.
• 60: AJ Greaves combines with Martin to race in behind, but is denied by the outstretched boot of Bullen.
• 64: Khyan Frazer-Williams stands up his marker and floats the ball into the area for the onrushing Greaves to head over the bar from close range
• 69: Two crucial challenges prevent Bernard and Greaves from striking a few yards out from goal.
• 73 – GOAL: Maxwell Adedeji gives Norwich the lead.
• 79: Alonso makes a triple change in a bid to inspire the leveller.
• 83: Greaves half-volleys over the bar from outside the area.
• 90 – GOAL: Hugo Collins’ flicked header extends Norwich's advantage.
• Three minutes are added on...
• FT: Norwich U18s 2-1 Palace U18s

Donte Martin gave the young Eagles the lead inside 13 minutes, but Norwich responded after the break, with Reuben Copper levelling early in the second half before Maxwell Adedeji put the hosts ahead with a header from a corner in the final quarter of the game.

Hugo Collins then added a late third, flicking home a stoppage-time cross to seal the win.

Fresh from making history by lifting the U18 Premier League Cup for the first time, Palace returned to league action with a trip to Norwich.

It had been a memorable week for the young Eagles, who secured the trophy with a dramatic under-the-lights victory over Manchester United on Wednesday evening at Selhurst Park.

Attention turned back to the U18 Premier League South, where Palace sat fifth on 39 points, with at least two games in hand on the sides above them.

Norwich, meanwhile, arrived in improved form. The Canaries had been unbeaten in six before a 3–0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion, but had taken four points from their previous two matches to sit 12th heading into the game.

Javier Alonso made nine changes to the side that triumphed over United, aiming to give his players a well-earned rest after two major occasions – the FA Youth Cup semi-final and the PL Cup Final – within the space of five days.

There was a first competitive U18 start for Thiago Speroni, while Mylo Bernard returned from England U16 duty after helping them win the inaugural Vertex Cup in Miami, scoring in a 5–1 victory over Mexico.

The first chance of the game fell to Norwich inside five minutes, as Samuel Augusto slipped Jeremiah Sinclair-Brown through on goal, only for Speroni to produce a fine one-on-one save.

The hosts continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession but struggled to trouble the Palace backline.

The young Eagles came agonisingly close to taking the lead when Martin battled past Augusto and beat the onrushing goalkeeper Henry Bullen, but Takudzwa Gwanzura was on hand to scramble the ball off the line.

On 13 minutes, however, Palace did take the lead through Martin. The forward made an intelligent curved run to latch onto centre-back Remi Shittu’s perfectly weighted lofted pass in behind, before keeping his composure to slot past Bullen.

Midway through the half, the young Canaries enjoyed spells of pressure, particularly from a series of corners, but Speroni had not been seriously tested beyond the early one-on-one save.

Bernard should have made it two approaching the half-hour mark when Shittu’s throw was flicked on by Martin to send him clear. He drove towards goal but fired high over the bar.

The momentum gradually swung in Palace’s favour, with the young Eagles in the ascendancy as they moved the ball well and began to probe. Kayden Moses then attempted an audacious effort from the halfway line, but Bullen was alert to gather comfortably.

With five minutes to play until the break, the contest remained evenly poised but had developed into a cagey affair lacking real intensity, with neither side creating any clear-cut chances.

On the stroke of half-time, Daniel Owoade nearly doubled the lead when Bernard threaded the wing-back through down the right channel, but Owoade drove just wide of the far post. Given the rotated side, it was a pleasing first-half display from Palace.

The second half began in sloppy fashion. There was an immediate scare from the restart as Speroni’s clearance struck an onrushing striker, but Bull was on hand to spare his blushes and clear.

Moments later, Norwich drew level when Reuben Copper rifled home Hugo Collins’ squared pass from close range.

Palace continued to be their own worst enemies, as a loose pass from Jacob Fasida eventually allowed the ball to drop kindly for Maxwell Adedeji, who volleyed over from the left side of the area.

The young Eagles’ first effort of the second half saw Martin strike tamely into the goalkeeper’s arms.

On the hour mark, AJ Greaves replaced Owoade and immediately combined with Martin to race in behind down the right channel, only to be denied by the outstretched boot of Bullen.

Midway through the half, Khyan Frazer-Williams stood up his marker and delivered a dangerous cross across the face of goal, with Greaves arriving to head over from point-blank range. Greaves, in particular, had added real energy since his introduction.

Bernard then drove into the area and teed up Martin, who was dispossessed just as he shaped to shoot. The loose ball fell to Greaves, who went to ground and appealed for a penalty, but his claims were waved away.

That said, the hosts were beginning to build pressure and took the lead on 73 minutes when Adedeji nodded home an inswinging corner.

Having weathered a sustained spell of Norwich pressure, Alonso made a triple substitution in a bid to inspire the leveller and Greaves went close, sending a half-volley from just outside the area over the bar.

In stoppage time, Cooper’s whipped cross was flicked into the far corner by Hugo Collins to seal Norwich’s win.

It is important to note the wholesale changes following Wednesday’s Premier League Cup win, with a heavily rotated side selected for the fixture.

The result sees Palace slip to sixth in the U18 Premier League South on 39 points, though they have at least two games in hand over most of the teams above them.

Attention now turns to a return to action against Arsenal at the Sobha Training Centre on Tuesday.

Palace U18s: Speroni, Owoade (Greaves, 57’), Bull, Bonsu-Amako, Monk, Shittu (Lamidi, 79’), Frazer-Williams, Fasida © (Okoli, 68’), Bernard (McDonald, 79’), Moses (Lee, 79’), Martin.

Norwich U18s: Bullen, Glossop (Oligbo, 65’), Adedeji, Augusto, Gwanzura (Okpiabhele, 71’), Sinclair-Brown, Cooper, Wilkes, Kipa (Chukwu, 62’), Collins, Steele (Duffy, 65’).

Subs not used: Darbyshire-Came.