Report: Palace beaten in friendly at Selhurst Park

Goals at the beginning of either half from Luke McNally and Scott Twine earned the visitors victory in SE25, on a day when Palace’s wider squad picked up valuable match minutes amidst the lengthy international break.

Summary:

• With 11 senior internationals away, nine changes to Palace’s XI for mid-season friendly.
• 3: The visitors make a threatening start, Hirakawa hitting the side-netting.
• 6 – Goal: McNally heads Bristol City in front from De Keersmaecker’s free-kick.
• 7: Palace almost hit back immediately, Nketiah narrowly missing Mingueza’s cross.
• 25: Nketiah threatens again with a sharp turn and strike on the edge of the box.
• 33: Mitchell’s low ball in finds Nketiah, who takes a clever touch – but fires over.
• 37: Mitchell’s fine first-time effort is not far off the top corner.
• 43: Benítez makes a sensational save from Hirakawa to deny City a second.
• HT: Palace 0-1 Bristol City
• 50 – Goal: Twine doubles City’s lead with a fine free-kick.
• 60: Palace threaten with some flowing football, but cannot fashion.
• 63: Lerma is denied a goal by a sensational save from Randell.
• 67: U18s midfielder Okoli makes senior non-competitive debut off the bench.
• 74: McNeil picks out Chilwell with a fine ball, but Randell dives at his feet to claim.
• 87: Mingueza’s corner kick almost creeps in at the far post.
• FT: Palace 0-2 Bristol City

Amidst the first instance of a three-week international break in the mid-season calendar, the Eagles hosted the Robins at Selhurst Park – bolstered by a young energetic crowd, taking advantage of a kids-go-free scheme – in a bid to retain match sharpness.

Both teams had made solid starts to the season, with Michael Skubala’s Bristol City eighth in the Championship at the time of the friendly, and Palace having made strong starts to three different competitions.

It was the visitors who started the better in SE25, however, with Yu Hirakawa striking the side-netting inside three minutes from a tight angle – Walter Benítez likely had it covered.

It was a warning sign Palace did not heed, as three minutes later, Brian De Keersmaecker played in an inch-perfect free-kick from the left which Luke McNally – steaming in to meet it six yards out – powered into the net for the opener.

But the Eagles were enjoying the majority of possession, and almost hit back immediately through a lovely move.

A diagonal pass from Ben Chilwell, advancing from centre-back, picked out Óscar Mingueza at the far post, and his first-time ball across goal was only narrowly missed by Eddie Nketiah’s attempted diving header.

That set the tone for the rest of the first-half, with Palace having 57% possession and the majority of territory and opportunities against a disciplined City defence.

Nketiah appeared the Eagles’ most likely source of an equaliser during the opening period, turning sharply on 25 minutes from Chilwell’s low square ball – but firing wide from the edge of the box.

The No. 9 went close again eight minutes later with a delightful touch past his marker from Mitchell’s low square ball, but this time, from a tight angle, he blazed over the bar.

Mitchell was next to go close a few moments after that with a crisp first-time half-volley from Evann Guessand’s lay-off on the edge of the box, but the strike went past the top corner.

And for all of their pressure, the Eagles could have gone in at half-time two goals down, but for a fine save from Benítez when – following a goalmouth scramble – the ball landed at Hirakawa’s feet, six yards out.

The Palace goalkeeper spread himself brilliantly to kick away the subsequent placed effort – and so the Eagles only went in a goal down.

But not long after the restart, City doubled their lead. Playmaker Scott Twine’s pressure on the ball won him a free-kick on the edge of the ‘D’, and the visitors’ No. 10 duly dusted himself down – before bending the dead ball high into the far top corner.

That paved the way for another spell of concerted Palace pressure, with the Eagles beginning to consistently carve out openings around the hour mark.

They somehow were denied a route back into the match on 63 minutes when Guessand swung in a free-kick from the left and Jefferson Lerma – steaming in at the near post – saw his glancing header tipped over, somewhat spectacularly, by City substitute ‘keeper Bradley Collins.

At that point, both teams were beginning to make their expected changes, with one highlight for Palace being a non-competitive senior debut for reigning Under-18s Player of the Season, Chuks Okoli.

The Eagles did continue to create, with Dwight McNeil’s delightful pass towards the far post finding Chilwell in space – Collins did well to get down low and nick it off his feet.

And at the other end, Benítez made another fine save to prevent City going three in front, with Dom Ballard looking to chip him on the break – only for the Argentine to smother the effort.

There were two more proud moments for the Academy after Under-21s captain Adler Nascimento, and another non-competitive debutant in 18-year-old Amaari Sealey, made late appearances off the bench.

But despite another spell of concerted late pressure, the Eagles could not find a breakthrough at Selhurst Park.

Palace: Benítez (GK), Mingueza, Lerma, Disasi, Mitchell (Okoli, 66), Chilwell, Hughes, Wharton (Doucouré, 67), McNeil, Guessand (Sealey, 83), Nketiah (Nascimento, 83).

Subs: Matthews (GK), Lee (GK), Kalembo, Williams, Kporha.

Bristol City: Tickle (GK) (Collins (GK), HT), Tanner (Randell, HT), McNally (Yah, 66), Atkinson, Pring (Naylor, 81), De Keersmaecker (Knight, 87), Williams (Thelwell, 72), Wallace (Bell, 66), Twine (Greenwood, 65), Hirakawa (Morrison, 77), Ballard.

Subs: Thomas (GK), Gibbs, Naylor, Pecover, Adebayo.