Report & Highlights: Resilient Eagles earn comeback victory against Chelsea

Summary

• Darren Powell named the exact same side that beat Liverpool three days earlier

• Owen Goodman was forced into a number of saves early on

• Chelsea opened the scoring through Benjamin Elliott in the 20th minute

• Jadan Raymond’s free-kick was turned behind by Gabriel Slonina just a few minutes later

• Ademola Ola-Adebomi levelled for Palace in the 38th minute

• Half-time: Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace

• Chelsea had a number of chances early on the second-half

• Palace stood firm, Raymond again threatened from a free-kick

• Victor Akinwale won a penalty 20 minutes from time which Jack Wells-Morrison converted

• Danny Imray came close to adding a third just before stoppage time

• Full-time: Chelsea 1-2 Crystal Palace

Just three days on from their victory in the Premier League International Cup quarter-final against Liverpool, Crystal Palace Under-21s were back on the road to face London rivals Chelsea.

Manager Darren Powell named the exact same side that triumphed in Merseyside, with Jack Wells-Morrison skippering the side and the in-form Victor Akinwale continuing up front.

Chances came thick and fast early on. Owen Goodman was forced into a smart save to deny Mason Burstow, while also keeping out efforts from Omari Hutchinson and Harvey Vale in the opening quarter of an hour.

Palace’s best chance in that spell fell to Jadan Raymond. The midfielder picked up the ball in the Chelsea third and managed to find space to get a shot away that just went narrowly wide of the post.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 20th minute through Benjamin Elliott. Vale, who has featured for the Chelsea first-team, played a ball down the left into the path of Elliott and the midfielder finished inside the six-yard box.

After falling behind, the Eagles looked to quickly find a way back into the game. Raymond again was at the forefront of Palace’s efforts, as he struck a free-kick from 20-yards out that was turned behind by Gabriel Slonina.

With just over five minutes of the half remaining, the Eagles managed to draw level. Ademola Ola-Adebomi was slipped in by David Ozoh and the No. 9 made no mistake - finishing with ease past Slonina inside the six-yard box.

The hosts peppered the Palace goal with a number of shots just before the break, however the two sides went into the break level-pegging with it all to play for in the second-half.

Much like the first-half, chances were in abundance. The Blues had the lion’s share of chances early on in the half. Efforts from Vale, Hutchinson, Burstow and Elliott were either wide of the mark or dealt with by a combination of Goodman and the Palace defence.

Ola-Adebomi had Palace’s one chance of note in the opening exchanges of the second-half, though his effort from the edge of the box was held by Slonina.

For all of Chelsea’s attempts on goal it was the south Londoners who managed to take the lead against the run of play. Ola-Adebomi won the ball in the final third from a misplaced Chelsea pass and managed to find his strike partner Akinwale with an inch-perfect pass.

He chopped across to shape to shoot, but was brought down inside the box by Zak Sturge. Wells-Morrison took the ball in his grasp and stepped up from 12-yards. A stuttering run-up saw him send the ‘keeper the wrong way for him to easily slot home to give Palace the lead with 20 minutes to play.

The Blues started to throw the kitchen-sink at Palace in the time that remained, though astute defending saw them limited to efforts from distance or narrow angles. Charlie Webster’s effort from about 25-yards out which went just above the crossbar was the closest the hosts came to equalising.

Late on, before six minutes of additional time, Danny Imray came agonisingly close to adding a third and sealing the points in style. An incisive breakaway saw him played in by Ola-Adebomi after a gut-bursting run down the right-hand side. His ball across the box was somehow turned behind by a combination of ‘keeper and defence.

The Eagles saw out the remaining time on to record a remarkable victory, their second in four days. The result means they move up to third place, two points clear of Liverpool and five points behind Chelsea with two games in hand over them.

Chelsea: Slonina (GK), Hughes, Hall, Sturge, Williams, Elliot, Webster, Vale (Thomas, 78), Rankine, Hutchinson (Castledine, 72), Burstow (Mothersille, 79).

Subs not used: Campbell (GK), Abu.

Crystal Palace: Goodman (GK), Imray, Balmer, Rodney, Watson, Adaramola, Ozoh, Raymond (Mooney, 80), Wells-Morrison, Akinwale (Vigor, 90+5), Ola-Adebomi (Omilabu, 90+1)

Subs not used: Izquierdo (GK), Addae.