Okoli: I’m on cloud nine
Match-winner Chuks Okoli shared his reaction after Crystal Palace Under-18s secured a dramatic comeback victory over holders Aston Villa to reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals on Tuesday night at Villa Park.
Still riding the adrenaline of the moment, Okoli admitted the occasion was difficult to process.
“I don’t want to swear but I’m elated, man – I’m on cloud nine,” he said. “That game was so intense. I knew going into it that it was going to be really difficult, especially after the semi-final against Tottenham in the Premier League Cup.
“When you play possession-based teams like that, you really have to dig in to get a result. Today we dug in and, in the end, we got rewarded at the last minute. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Palace showed remarkable resilience on the night, coming from behind twice before sealing a dramatic 3-2 win in stoppage time.
“It was insane,” Okoli said. “Honestly, at one point I thought the game was gone. But then Raihaan pulled out some magic to get us back into it.
“In training we’ve been working on our deliveries and attacking corners. I knew Charlie [Walker-Smith] would win the first contact and I just gambled on it – and luckily it fell for me. It’s awesome. We’ve won.”
The challenge was made even greater by the occasion, with Villa Park providing a daunting backdrop against the reigning champions.
“The stadium is one of the best in the country and the atmosphere made it really tough,” he added. “They had their fans behind them and they were putting a lot of pressure on us. We also travelled on the same day, so there were a lot of things going against us.
“But we dug deep and got the result.”
The victory sees Palace reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals for the first time in almost 30 years, something Okoli says the group are immensely proud of.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” he said. “I can’t quite believe we’re in the semis. At the start of the season I hoped we could go far, but football is unpredictable.
“To know we’re one of the top four teams in the country right now is crazy. We’re excited to see what we can do next and hopefully bring the trophy back to South London.”