Report & Highlights: Ola-Adebomi inspired Palace triumph over Arsenal

Summary

• Jackson Izquierdo started in goal for the first time in the league, amidst three changes

• Izquierdo saved Matt Smith’s penalty 20 minutes in

• Ademola Ola-Adebomi came close to giving Palace the lead a few minutes after

• Palace took the lead just before half-time through Ola-Adebomi

• Half-time: Crystal Palace 1-0 Arsenal

• Ola-Adebomi fired just over the bar shortly after the restart

• Izquierdo saved and held onto a Joel Ideho free-kick from 20-yards out

• Ben Cottrell had a gilt-edged chance to level for Arsenal in the 70th minute

• Ola-Adebomi added his and Palace’s second immediately after Cottrell’s miss

• A combination of Izquierdo, Jadan Raymond and Noah Watson kept Arsenal out

• Just before stoppage time, Ola-Adebomi almost sealed his hat-trick

• Full-time: Crystal Palace 2-0 Arsenal

Just over a week on from their 1-0 victory away at Everton, Crystal Palace Under-21s welcomed north London rivals Arsenal to Copers Cope as they looked to press on at the top of the table.

There were three changes to the side which beat the Toffees, with Jackson Izquierdo, Kaden Rodney and Victor Akinwale coming in for Owen Goodman, Danny Imray and David Omilabu. First-team defender Nathan Ferguson continued in the side on his journey back to full fitness.

After a rather slow start from both sides, Arsenal were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute as Nathan Ferguson was adjudged to have fouled Omari Benjamin in the box. Arsenal captain Matt Smith stepped up from 12-yards, however Izquierdo comfortably saved his effort low down to his left.

Encouraged by keeping the scores level, Palace went down the other end in search of the opener and came agonisingly close to getting their noses in front.

Tayo Adaramola did well to hold off two Arsenal defenders in the box, before laying it off for Jadan Raymond who in turn found Ola-Adebomi with an inch-perfect pass, however the striker dragged his shot just wide of the mark.

It looked as though the two sides would go into the break level, but Ola-Adebomi and Adaramola had other ideas.

The striker picked up the ball on the half-way line and played it over the top for Adaramola to latch onto. After driving towards the byline, he pulled a looping cross back across the box and Ola-Adebomi was there to volley home, on his weaker right foot, to give Palace the lead.

Straight after the interval, the Eagles looked to double their lead. Ola-Adebomi was picked out in the box by an excellent cut-back from Akinwale in a quick move, though he fired just over the bar on his right-foot this time around.

Arsenal came close to equalising the scores just before the hour-mark, as Zane Monlouis got on the end of Amario Cozier-Dubbery’s cross from a smartly worked free-kick routine, but the defender’s header glanced across the face of goal.

With 20 minutes remaining Ben Cottrell broke free inside the box for the visitors and looked as though he was going to level, however he got under his effort and sent it sailing over the crossbar.

Less than a minute later, Palace went straight down the other end and managed to double the lead. Ferguson won the ball back high up the pitch and played a perfectly weighted ball for Raymond inside the final-third.

The Wales U21 midfielder saw Ola-Adebomi in space to his left on the edge of the box and managed to pick out the No. 9 who finished calmly past Hubert Graczyk in the Arsenal goal to secure his and Palace’s second.

Arsenal were not disheartened after conceding a second, in fact they were on the offensive and nearly pulled one back after the game resumed. Izquierdo pulled off a fine save to deny Smith once more from inside the box and a combination of Raymond and Noah Watson kept out follow-up efforts from Cozier-Dubbery out on the line.

Palace held on after that Arsenal surge and saw out the rest of the game, including an additional ten minutes of time added on, to secure all three points. The result means the Eagles now move up to third place in the Premier League 2 Division 1, six points behind second-place Manchester City and three clear of Liverpool.

Crystal Palace: Izquierdo (GK), Rodney, Grehan, Ferguson (Balmer, 77), Watson, Adaramola, Ozoh, Raymond (Mooney, 77), Wells-Morrison, Akinwale, Ola-Adebomi (Omilabu, 90+2 (Imray, 90+9)).

Subs not used: Eastwood, (GK).

Arsenal: Graczyk, Walters (Sweet, 45), Sousa, Monlouis, Awe, Smith, Cozier-Duberry, Cottrell, Benjamin (Edwards, 45), Bandeira (Cirjan, 45), Ideho (Sagoe Jr., 80).

Subs not used: Cooper (GK).