In summary
- Jeffrey Schlupp the only starter from the XI that started against Southampton. Eberechi Eze handed first start, plus Nya Kirby and Jarosław Jach awarded their Palace debuts
- Nya Kirby with Palace’s best chance of the first-half from 20 yards
- Sam Surridge opener for Bournemouth ruled out for offside
- HT: 0-0
- Jordan Ayew, Mamadou Sakho and Andros Townsend all subbed on in the second-half
- FT: 0-0 (Bournemouth win on penalties, 11-10)
The opening 20 minutes passed by as you’d expect in a game where the hosts were unable to name seven substitutes and Palace were lining up with 10 changes from the Southampton victory, including two debuts, a first start for Eze and Michy Batshuayi’s first Palace game since his return.
It was fitting that the only Eagles starter with competitive minutes in his legs for the 2020/21 season, Schlupp, was the one to provide the first moment of intent in the game.
Winning the ball back in Bournemouth’s defensive third, Schlupp drove in from the Cherries’ right-back slot towards the box and found Batshuayi. However, the on-loan striker was surrounded and hassled quickly by the hosts’ defence.
A few fortunate bobbles first found Eze and he in turn found Kirby on the edge of the area, with the debutant shooting on the turn extremely well, forcing Asmir Begovic into a decent save low down to his left.
The game was almost breaking out into a Sam Woods and Ryan Inniss v Bournemouth corners game, with the centre-back pairing consistently dominating the Cherries’ frontmen whenever they tried to threaten.
Eventually, though, all of Sam Surridge and David Brooks’ huffing and puffing came to fruition just after the half-hour mark, when the latter found the former after a driving run and intricate pass through the Eagles’ defensive line. And despite a well-taken curled finish past Wayne Hennessey, Surridge was flagged for offside.
Palace responded to the scare instantly, again Schlupp driving with purpose down Bournemouth’s right-hand side. Unfortunately, though, the utlity man’s cross had too much on it and wasn’t quite the assist Kirby was anticipating at the back post.
Jason Tindall’s side started the second-half well, with Brooks and Surridge continuing to link-up well as they probed for a way through the inexperienced yet resolute Palace central pairing.
Jack Stacey, playing as a right-wing-back for Bournemouth tonight, then tried his own luck in the final third. Firstly, a superb block from Woods prevented Stacey troubling Hennessey and then, a few minutes later, the Cherries defender found space inside Palace’s box and rifled towards Palace’s goal, but found a strong hand from Hennessey.
Roy Hodgson brought on Mamadou Sakho, Jordan Ayew and Andros Townsend at differing periods in the final half an hour, with the fresh legs adding impetus to the south Londoners’ play, with last season’s top scorer going on several mazy runs, whilst Townsend had a decent effort from long-range.
It was the Cherries who went closest towards the end with debutant Nnamdi Ofoborh finding himself with a couple of excellent chances in the final few minutes. However, a lack of composure on both occasions meant Palace and Bournemouth headed for a penalty shootout.
Penalty shootout order
David Brooks - scored - 1-0
Luka Milivojević - scored - 1-1
Sam Surridge - scored - 2-1
Michy Batshuayi - scored - 2-2
Philip Billing - scored - 3-2
Andros Townsend - scored - 3-3
Lloyd Kelly - scored - 4-3
Eberechi Eze - scored - 4-4
Dominic Solanke - scored - 5-4
Jordan Ayew - scored - 5-5
Jack Simpson - scored - 6-5
Max Meyer - scored - 6-6
Dan Gosling - scored - 7-6
Mamadou Sakho - scored - 7-7
Jefferson Lerma - scored - 8-7
Martin Kelly - scored - 8-8
Nnamdi Ofoborh - scored - 9-8
Ryan Inniss - scored - 9-9
Jordan Zemura - scored - 10-9
Jarosław Jach - scored - 10-10
Asmir Begovic - missed - 10-10
Wayne Hennessey - missed - 10-10
David Brooks - scored - 11-10
Luka Milivojević - missed - 11-10
Palace: Hennessey, Kelly, Woods [Sakho, 60], Inniss, Jach, Kirby [Townsend, 70], Meyer, Milivojević, Eze, Batshuayi, Schlupp [Ayew, 60]
Subs not used: Henderson, Mitchell, McCarthy, Pierrick
Bournemouth: Begovic, Ofoborh, Simpson, Kelly, Stacey [Lerma, 62], Arter [Solanke, 82], Zemura, Lewis Cook [Gosling, 74], Brooks, Billing, Surridge
Subs not used: Travers, Kilkenny, Anthony
