U18s report & highlights: Young Eagles reach Youth Cup semi-finals after beating holders Villa

Summary:

• Alonso makes two changes to the side that defeated Tottenham in the Premier League Cup semi-final, with Khyan Frazer-Williams and Raihaan Anderson coming in for Dylan Monk and Dean Benamar.
• 2 – GOAL: Villa open the scoring through Jack McGrath’s deflected strike.
• 15: Junior Wilson drives into the penalty area and lashes the ball into the side netting.
• 19: Raihaan Anderson forces the turnover in Villa's area, but Chuks Okoli's resulting lay off to David Angibeaud just eludes the striker
• 24 – GOAL DISALLOWED: Villa have the ball in the back of the net courtesy of Teddie Bloomfield, but it's adjudged offside.
• 29 – GOAL: Joel Drakes-Thomas floats the ball across the face of goal, Angibeaud heads into the ground, it's tipped onto the bar, before Casey is alive to head home!!!
• 37: Drakes-Thomas skips past the Villa defenders, but his dangerous cross is claimed by Asemota.
• 39: Jacob Fasida pulls off a crucial block to keep the scores level!
• 42: Casey comes agonisingly close to successfully lifted the ball over the onrushing Asemota, but the 'keeper manages to claw away.
• 44: Benetton preserves parity with a superb one-on-one save with his legs.
• HT: Aston Villa 1-1 Palace
• 46 - SO CLOSE: Casey battles his way through a couple of Villa defenders to see his well-struck half-volley denied by a diving Asemota.
• 50: Bloomfield fires straight down Benetton’s throat.
• 54: Great defending from Charlie Walker-Smith to head Meade's dangerous delivery across the face of goal over the bar.
• 56 – GOAL: McGrath doubles Villa’s lead from the spot.
• 64: There's a pause to proceedings as Khyan Frazer-Williams receives some treatment.
• 70: Benetton makes a fabulous save to deny McGrath his hat-trick.
• 76 - SO CLOSE: Casey slips Martin through, who hooks it across, before Casey's follow-up is blocked. Moments later, Okoli's flicked header is parried away!
• 86 - GOAL: Angibeaud squares it across to Anderson, who shifts the ball onto his right foot, before whipping it in off the post from some distance.
• Eight minutes added on...
• 90 (+2) - GOAL: Chuks Okoli slides home and seals a last-gasp leveller.
• We survive a succession of shots and crosses...
• FT: Aston Villa 2-3 Palace
• We reach the Youth Cup semi-finals for the first-time in almost 30 years!!!

Palace entered their first Youth Cup quarter-final in over 15 years – last reaching this stage against Hull City in February 2010 – in strong form, having recently booked a place in the U18 Premier League Cup final against Manchester United with a 1–0 win away at Tottenham Hotspur.

That result followed an impressive 3–2 league victory over West Ham United, further boosting the confidence of Javier Alonso’s side.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, arrived as reigning champions and five-time winners of the competition, though with many of last season’s treble-winning side – Premier League South, national final and Youth Cup – now progressed to their Under-21s, it had been more of a transitional year for Richard Beale’s side.

Alonso made two changes to the side that defeated Tottenham, with Khyan Frazer-Williams and Raihaan Anderson coming in for Dylan Monk and Dean Benamar. Daniel Owoade and Jamar Lee were also named among the substitutes as Palace made use of the two additional bench spots.

Under the bright lights of Villa Park, the young Eagles stepped onto the 43,205-capacity stage before a raucous crowd – largely backing Villa – determined to seize a historic opportunity for the Academy.

Disaster struck early for Palace, however, when Bradley Burrows was slipped in behind the left channel and cut the ball back to Jack McGrath just inside the penalty area. His strike took a cruel deflection off Jasper Judd, wrong-footing Lucca Benetton as it looped into the net.

The young Eagles began to settle as the game approached the quarter-hour mark, growing in confidence while moving the ball with increasing purpose.

Despite Palace’s territorial dominance, the young Lions threatened through Junior Wilson, who drove into the area and fired a tight-angled effort into the side-netting.

Moments later, Anderson forced a turnover inside Villa’s area and squared for Chuks Okoli, whose lay-off just evaded David Angibeaud – a promising move from Palace and a warning sign.

Mid-way through, the game was coming alive. Villa thought they had a second when an alert Teddie Bloomfield rifled into the empty net from close-range, but he was fortunately adjudged offside.

On 29 minutes, Palace’s goal machine Benji Casey drew the young Eagles level. Joel Drakes-Thomas showed great tenacity to keep the ball alive on the byline before floating a delicious delivery across the face of goal.

David Angibeaud’s header bounced goalwards and was tipped onto the bar by a diving Owen Asemota, but Casey reacted quickest to nod home the rebound for his fourth goal in the Youth Cup.

Villa came agonisingly close to an immediate response. Bloomfield rattled the post before a dangerous ball flashed across the face of goal, with no claret-and-blue shirt able to apply the finishing touch – a heart-in-mouth moment for Palace.

The game suddenly opened up into an end-to-end contest. Drakes-Thomas continued to cause problems down the flank, skipping past defenders before seeing his cushioned cross well claimed.

The hosts then broke at pace, Bloomfield floating a delivery towards the back post where Markie Mead headed goalwards, only for Jacob Fasida to deny him with an outstretched boot – a crucial, goal-saving block.

Palace almost took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Casey used his blistering pace to race in behind and lift the ball over the advancing Asemota, who recovered brilliantly to claw it away. At the other end, Benetton preserved parity with a superb one-on-one save with his legs.

A breathless end to the first half saw Palace head into the break level and, crucially, with momentum on their side.

Alonso’s side made a fast start to the second half as Casey battled through a crowd of Villa defenders to get a sweetly-struck half-volley away, only for Asemota to dive and parry the effort.

The pendulum soon swung back in Villa’s favour as the hosts enjoyed the lion’s share of possession. Mead then whipped a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, which Walker-Smith did well to head over the bar under pressure from McGrath.

Approaching the hour mark, McGrath went down inside the area following a sliding challenge from Judd and the referee pointed to the spot. McGrath stepped up and doubled Villa’s lead.

There was a brief pause in proceedings as Khyan Frazer-Williams received treatment, giving Alonso a valuable moment to relay instructions to his side. Frazer-Williams was unable to continue and was replaced by Donte Martin.

From the restart, McGrath carved out another shooting opportunity from close range, but Benetton stood tall to deny him his hat-trick with a superb save. Moments later, Bloomfield curled an effort just wide of the top-right corner.

Entering the final third of the contest, Palace pushed hard for an equaliser. Casey and Martin combined well, with the latter hooking a delivery across goal that Casey nearly converted on the follow-up. From the resulting corner, Okoli’s flicked header was pushed away by Asemota.

Casey threatened again moments later, his dipping header dropping just the wrong side of the bar.

As the game entered its latter stages, Villa pushed to extend their advantage, with Alfie Lynskey whipping a shot that Benetton did well to spring across and parry clear. The Palace ‘keeper was called into action again soon after, palming a dangerous delivery beyond the onrushing attackers at the far post.

In the dying embers of normal time, Palace finally found their reward. Angibeaud squared the ball to Anderson, who shifted onto his right foot before whipping a superb strike in off the far post from distance – the young Eagles were level and right back in the contest.

Eight minutes were added on and, on 92 minutes, Palace completed a remarkable turnaround, having not led at any stage until then.

Judd lifted a free-kick from the right towards the back post, where Walker-Smith headed the ball back across goal and Okoli slid in to bundle it home. The majority of the squad – including the substitutes – wheeled away in celebration towards the corner flag. Wow, just wow.

Villa threw everything forward in the closing minutes, sending a flurry of crosses and shots towards the Palace goal, but the young Eagles stood firm. When the referee finally blew the full-time whistle, jubilation erupted across the pitch.

Crystal Palace had reached the FA Youth Cup semi-finals for the first time in almost 30 years – a historic achievement for Javier Alonso’s history-makers.

Palace: Benetton, Judd, Frazer-Williams (Martin, 68’), Walker-Smith, Fasida, Okoli, Drakes-Thomas, Danaher, Casey, Anderson, Angibeaud (Bernard, 89').

Subs not used: Owoade, Mason, Bull, Oduro, Lee.

Aston Villa: Asemota, Wilson (Fortes 79’), Routh, Burgess (c), Bloomfield (Johnson 90+6’), Barnard, Jenner, Lynskey, McGrath (Boyd 88’), Burrowes, Meade (Ramsey 89’).

Subs not used: Oakley, Hayward, Bindley.