Report & Highlights: Palace finish Como Cup on a high

Summary;

• The Eagles welcome back Chris Richards and Daichi Kamada with the duo playing their first minutes of pre-season.
• 1 – GOAL: Devenny scores from Palace’s first attack.
• 10 – GOAL: Some smart play from Devenny tees up Cardines to square for Nketiah to double the lead.
• 16 – Goal: Al Sulaiheem is afforded too much time and pulls a goal back for Al Ula.
• 32: Nketiah forces a decent save from the Al Ula ‘keeper.
• Half-time: Palace 2-1 Al-Ula
• 46: Sage makes four substitutes at the break giving minutes to the likes of King and Rak-Sakyi.
• 48: França whips a free-kick just over the bar.
• 57 – GOAL: Canvot pokes home after a near-post flick from a corner.
• Full-time: Palace 3-1 Al-Ula

On a humid evening by the lake, Palace flew out of the traps, scoring with the games very first attack.

A flowing team move down the right ended with a smartly timed run by Justin Devenny – playing in an advanced role this evening – before a precise finish at the near post.

It was a sign of things to come. In the first 15 minutes the Eagles consistently exploited space down the Al Ula left side.

Rio Cardines picked out Matheus França who might have scored but was off target. Only minutes later Cardines found Eddie Nketiah who made no mistake, converting from close range.

At that point a big scoreline wouldn’t have looked out of the question. But the Saudi side hauled themselves back into the game when Al Sulaiheem was given too much time on the edge of the box and curled a shot beyond Walter Benítez.

The hot Italian summer night meant a water break was in order halfway through the first 45.

But when the game resumed Palace continued to move the ball at a high tempo.

Twice they went close just after the half hour mark. Nketiah nearly picked out França with a teasing cross, but the Brazilian couldn’t get clean contact on the ball.

Nketiah himself then tested Abdulqadoos Atiyah with a powerful drive than stung the ‘keepers’ gloves, but the Eagles had to settle for a 2-1 lead at half-time.

Palace were still in the ascendency after the break, with França whipping a free-kick just over the bar and then going close following a surging run just moments later.

Pierre Sage had chosen to give the likes of George King, David Ozoh and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi some minutes at the break, with World Cup returnees Chris Richards and Daichi Kamada rested for the second-half.

The tempo remained high. The Eagles eventually put clear water between them and Al-Ula when Jaydee Canvot reacted quickly, poking home a loose ball in the penalty area.

Ozoh then sliced an effort when well placed before Sage introduced another trio of changes, with Joél Drakes-Thomas bringing energy to the attack.

The substitutes kept coming thick and fast with Ismaïla Sarr getting his first minutes since the World Cup.

But the constant changes from both sides seemed to affect the rhythm of the contest and there were few chances in the closing stages – Palace holding out for a 3-1 win and finishing in fifth place at the tournament.

The Eagles return to action with a behind-closed-doors friendly against Fulham next Friday.

Palace XI: Benítez (GK), Canvot (Walker-Smith, 76), Richards (Jemide, 46), Sosa (Tomiyasu (T), 60), Cardines (King, 46), Hughes (C) (Doucouré, 60), Devenny (Sarr, 76), Mitchell (Benamar, 76), Kamada (Ozoh, 46), França (Drakes-Thomas, 60), Nketiah (Rak-Sakyi, 46)

Subs: Matthews (GK), Whitworth (GK), Benetton (GK), Adaramola, Esse.