U18s Report & Highlights: Palace edge Spurs to reach PL Cup Final

Summary:

• Javier Alonso makes four changes to the side that beat West Ham, recalling Charlie Walker-Smith, Dean Benamar, Joel Drakes-Thomas and Benji Casey from the U21s.
• 2: Dean Benamar forces the turnover high up the pitch, but just overhits the resulting cross.
• 5: Reiss Elliot-Parris latches onto the ball in-behind and lifts it over the onrushing Benetton, fortunately Dylan Monk is there to clear off the line!
• 12: We're beginning to pour the pressure on as Spurs survive our set piece barrage.
• 20: Monk makes an excellent sliding block to deny Tynan Thompson's lashed effort.
• 25: Despite their territorial dominance, Spurs were yet to test Lucca Benetton.
• 35: We’re gradually wrestling back control and in turn seeing more of the ball.
• 37: Jacob Fasida's dipping delivery forces a good headed clearance, before Danaher races back to produce a crucial block.
• One minute added.
• HT: Tottenham 0-0 Palace
• 51: Benji Casey’s header forces a fine diving save from Thompson.
• 53: A pinball-like scramble ensues and substitute Raihaan Anderson almost bundles the ball over the line.
• 55: Charlie Walker-Smith’s towering header is the wrong side of the post.
• 60: Crucial last-ditch defending from Fasida nullifies Elliot-Parris' dangerous low cross across the face of goal.
• 70: George Feeney’s first-time whipped effort rattles Palace’s post.
• 75 - SO CLOSE: Benji Casey races in behind but Thompson is quick off his line to narrow the angle and deny him one-on-one.
• 80 - GOAL: Angiebeaud’s towering header gives us the lead!!!!
• Six minutes additional time is indicated
• 90 (+5): We survive a series of shots and crosses…
• FT: Tottenham 0-1 Palace
• WE ARE PL CUP FINALISTS

Palace entered the tie on the back of a hard-fought 3–2 victory over West Ham United in the U18 Premier League South – a timely response to a narrow 1–0 defeat against Leicester City, which had ended a five-match unbeaten run.

In the quarter-finals, a rotated side delivered a professional display away at Peterborough United, where Donte Martin’s quick-fire brace secured the young Eagles’ place in the last four.

Tottenham, meanwhile, arrived in strong form. A 2–1 win at Ipswich Town had extended their unbeaten run to eight matches and taken them top of the league, while a commanding 3–0 victory at Bristol City in the previous round sealed their own semi-final spot.

Javier Alonso made four changes to the side that beat West Ham, recalling Charlie Walker-Smith, Dean Benamar, Joel Drakes-Thomas and Benji Casey. All four have established themselves at Under-21 level in recent weeks, but returned to the Under-18s setup for this significant occasion.

It was a lively start to proceedings. Lucca Benetton was forced to deal with a dangerous inswinging delivery early on, while Benamar won possession high up the pitch soon after, only to overhit his cross towards the far post.

With several players recently operating across different age groups, there was a brief spell where cohesion needed to click back into place.

Palace survived an early scare inside five minutes when Reiss Elliot-Parris raced onto a ball in behind and lifted it over the advancing Benetton, but Dylan Monk recovered superbly to clear off the line. A succession of threatening set-pieces followed, testing the visitors’ defensive resolve in the opening exchanges.

However, as the quarter-hour mark approached, Palace began to grow in confidence and assert control. Spurs were forced to withstand a barrage of deliveries into the box from the likes of Jasper Judd and Benamar, with Dylan Thompson called into action amid the mounting pressure.

By the 20-minute mark, clear-cut chances were at a premium at both ends, the best again falling to Elliott-Parris. Tynan Thompson drifted inside and unleashed a fierce effort, but Monk reacted superbly, throwing himself into a well-timed sliding block.

Midway through the half, frustration was beginning to creep in for the young Eagles, with much of the play confined to their own half. Despite Spurs’ territorial dominance – and Elliott-Parris firing over the bar – Benetton had still not been seriously tested.

Jacob Fasida delivered a dipping delivery into the penalty area that demanded a brave, diving headed clearance from a Spurs defender, before Euan Danaher showed great recovery pace to race back and produce an excellent block at the other end.

After a single minute of added time, the sides went into the break goalless, with nothing to separate them.

Much like the first half, Palace were handed an early scare after the restart as Thompson flashed a low cross across the face of goal, somehow evading any white shirt in the six-yard box.

The pendulum soon swung in Palace’s favour, though, with a sustained spell of attacking pressure in the opening 10 minutes. Benamar surged down the left and delivered invitingly onto the head of Casey, whose effort across goal forced a fine, diving parry from Thompson.

Moments later, a pinball-like scramble unfolded inside the Spurs penalty area, with substitute Raihaan Anderson agonisingly close to bundling the ball over the line. Judd then whipped in a dangerous corner towards Walker-Smith, but the centre-back’s towering header drifted inches wide.

On the hour mark, Elliott-Parris threatened once more, but crucial last-ditch defending from Fasida snuffed out the danger at a vital moment.

In the 80th minute, Palace finally earned their just deserts for a dominant second-half display. Judd whipped in another trademark inswinging corner and it fell perfectly for the rising Angibeaud, who powered his header down into the turf and beyond Thompson into the net.

Six minutes were indicated, but it proved an anxious finale as Spurs hurled everything at the Palace backline. A flurry of shots and crosses were repelled with immense determination and resilience, and after closer to 10 minutes than six, the referee finally brought proceedings to a close.

The victory secures our place in the U18 Premier League Cup Final, where we will face Manchester United at Selhurst Park following the Red Devils' 3-1 win over West Ham.

Palace: Benetton, Judd, Fasida, Walker-Smith, Monk (Anderson, 52'), Okoli, Benamar, Danaher, Casey, Drakes-Thomas (Oduro, 86'), Angibeaud.

Subs not used: Mason, Martin, Bernard.

Tottenham: Thompson, Thomas (Sandiford, 55'), Byrne, Tingey, Hardy, Hall (Muslika, 79'), Boast, Feeney, Elliot-Parris, Beggs, Thompson (Adewole, 55').

Subs not used: Doran, Moncur.