Report & Highlights: Palace fall in U18 PL Cup semi-final to Man Utd

Summary

• Two changes to the side, with Hill making his debut in goal

• Palace started strongly, pressing from the front

• Grante blocks McAllister’s effort in the 15th minute

• Hill makes a strong stop to deny Wheatley, Jemide follows up with a vital block

• Jemide makes two further blocks to deny Man Utd midway through the half

• McAllister scores for Man Utd right before the break

• HT: Man Utd 1-0 Palace

• Man Utd hit the bar early on in the second-half

• Dashi sees a shot deflected behind

• Amass doubles the lead for Man Utd on the hour-mark

• Palace come close to pulling one back from debutant substitute Casey

• Biancheri scores, while Wheatley gets a brace, for Man Utd in the last 15 minutes

• FT: Man Utd 5-0 Palace

Two weeks on from the defeat to rivals Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace Under-18s travelled up north to face Manchester United in the semi-final of the U18 Premier League Cup.

There were two changes to the side, with Marcus Hill making his debut between the sticks and Rio Cardines returning from international duty with Trinidad and Tobago Under-20s. The pair came in for Billy Eastwood and Kai-Reece Adams-Collman who dropped to the bench.

Palace started the first half strongly, pressing from the front and unsettling the Man Utd defence, though neither side really fashioned a clear chance of note in the opening 15 minutes.

Man Utd’s captain Finlay McAllister had the first attempt on goal from either side just over a quarter of an hour in, but Jake Grante was on hand to get his body in the way. The 18-year-old centre-back recently featured for the Under-21s on Monday in their 3-0 win over Wolves.

The first effort for the hosts was a sign of things to come, as they continued to enjoy more of the ball and created further chances. Hill reacted brilliantly to deny an Ethan Wheatley effort, and a follow-up effort from Bendito Mantato was blocked by captain Mofe Jemide.

Jemide made two more goal-saving blocks as the half went on, denying Wheatley and James Scanlon, but on the stroke of half-time the hosts took the lead.

A surging run from Reece Munro saw him pick Scanlon out on the right hand side. The forward slipped in McAllister and the Manchester United captain finished with a first-time effort from a tight angle.

The young Eagles’ first-half resilience was broken and they went into the break with it all to do in the second.

Man Utd came racing out the blocks and rattled the crossbar early on in the second-half through Scanlon. Almost immediately down the other end, Matteo Dashi and Seb Williams combined well before the former got a shot away that deflected out for a corner.

On the hour-mark, Man Utd doubled their advantage through Harry Amass. The defender was on a strong run forward before a stroke of luck saw his effort across the face of goal deflect in.

Palace came close to halving the deficit after going two goals down, with the pick of the chances fell to second-half substitute and debutant Benji Casey. Excellent footwork from Jesse Derry saw the ball worked towards Joe Gibbard.

His attempts at getting a shot on goal were smothered, though he managed to find Casey who rifled a fierce attempt on goal that was parried away by Elyh Harrison.

That proved to be the best chance of the game for Palace, as Man Utd dominated the final 15 minutes of the game, scoring three times.

A double from Ethan Wheatley and one from second-half substitute Gabriele Biancheri saw the hosts progress into the final. The young Eagles fought valiantly, with the scoreline perhaps not reflecting on their efforts throughout the game.

Reaching the semi-final of the U18 Premier League Cup for the first time in the club’s history will inspire further sides to push on and go one better, however attention will now turn towards doing the best they can in the league fixtures that remain.

Man Utd: Harrison (GK), Kamason, Jackson, Munro, Devaney, Mantato (Biancheri, 69), McAllister, Wheatley, Scanlon (Thwaites, 78), Missin (Bailey, 82).

Subs not used: Myles (GK), Armer.

Palace: Hill (GK), Carindes, Grante, Jemide, Cowin (Casey, HT), King, Gibbard, S. Williams (Whyte, 62), Dashi (Austin, 62), Agbinone, Derry.

Subs not used: Eastwood (GK), Adams-Collman.