U21s Report & Highlights: Brilliant Palace beat Gladbach to reach International Cup last eight

Summary:

• Powell makes three changes to the side that beat Fulham on Friday as Jasper Judd comes in at wing-back in place of Rio Cardines, Dylan Reid replaces Kaden Rodney in midfield, and Jemiah Umolu leads the line with Zach Marsh sidelined through injury.

• 3: Benji Casey races in-behind and forces an early diving save from Pereira Cardoso.

• 7: Dylan Reid almost sees his inswinging corner sneak inside the far corner.

• 11: Dillion Berko flashes a sharp delivery across the face of goal, fortunately the sliding Uwakhonye can't convert.

• 20: Iaia Danfa miscues the pull-back the wrong side of the post.

• 27: Jemiah Umolu’s floated cross crashes against the crossbar, before he has a shot blocked in the penalty area.

• 32 – GOAL: Reid lashes the penalty into the back of the net to give Palace the lead!

• 36: Charlie Walker-Smith’s last-ditch defending prevents an immediate response from the visitors!

• 38 – GOAL: Walker-Smith lifts it over the top of the defence and Casey half-volleys beyond the ‘keeper from close-range!

• HT: Palace 2-0 Borussia Monchengladbach

• 59: Tyler Whyte makes an excellent sliding block on the line!#

• 62: Jackson Izquierdo pulls off a brilliant diving save to tip the free-kick over the bar – massive stop, Jacko!

• 69: Umolu drifts inside and drives low and hard to almost find the near corner!

• 71: Jasper Judd makes a vital last-ditch sliding block to deny a well-struck close-range effort.

  It was now edge of your seat stuff…

• 87: George King makes a quite brilliant sliding block to preserve our lead.

• Five minutes is added on…

• 90 (+2): Gladbach rattle the crossbar with a bullet header from an inswinging corner.

• FT: Palace 2-0 Borussia Monchengladbach

• We progress through to the Premier League International Cup knockouts!!!!

The young Eagles dominated Gladbach in a tense but controlled encounter, taking the lead through a calm penalty from Dylan Reid before Benji Casey doubled the advantage with a crisp half-volley. We withstood late pressure, including a goal-line block from Tyler Whyte and a brilliant diving save from Jackson Izquierdo, to secure victory and progression to the quarter-finals.

Darren Powell’s Under-21s came into Wednesday’s crucial Premier League International Cup clash on the back of a strong 2-1 PL2 victory over Fulham, ending the Cottagers’ 13-game unbeaten run.

In Europe, the young Eagles had already shown they could compete with top opposition. After a narrow 1-0 defeat to Valencia, they responded with victories over Juventus and FC Nordsjaelland to put qualification firmly within reach.

With every other side in Group B having completed their fixtures, the equation was clear under the lights in Sutton.

Palace began the night on six points, three behind both Gladbach and Valencia, who each had nine. Only a win would keep Palace in contention for the knockout stages, with goal difference also likely to prove decisive – meaning a victory by at least two goals had the potential to be significant in the final standings.

Powell made three changes to the side that beat Fulham on Friday. Jasper Judd came in at wing-back in place of Rio Cardines, Dylan Reid replaced Kaden Rodney in midfield, and Jemiah Umolu led the line with Zach Marsh sidelined through injury.

Amid driving rain and blustery conditions at the VBS, the match got underway at a sharp tempo. Both sides began with intent, and the first opening fell to Palace. Benji Casey latched onto Jasper Judd’s lofted pass in behind and tested Pereira Cardoso early, the ‘keeper reacting well to gather his low effort.

Dylan Reid then threatened directly from an inswinging corner, his delivery drifting dangerously towards the far post and forcing Cardoso to backpedal and cover it.

While Palace continued to move the ball well and probe for an opener, the visitors offered a warning sign at the other end.

Dillion Berko surged down the right channel and drilled a low ball across the face of goal, but a sliding Joshua Uwakhonye was unable to turn it into the unguarded net - perhaps put off by Jackson Izquierdo’s attempts to claw it away.

On the 20-minute mark, it remained an evenly contested encounter. Palace had fashioned a handful of promising openings, but the difficult conditions continued to play their part, with players from both sides losing their footing at crucial moments – most notably when Iaia Danfa miscued his pull-back wide of the post.

Beyond the mid-way point, Palace began to assert control as their rhythm sharpened and they moved firmly into the ascendency.

Umolu proved a constant outlet, his floated cross crashing against the crossbar with Benamar poised for the rebound. Moments later, the forward cut inside onto his stronger foot, only to see his effort blocked by a well-timed outstretched boot.

In the 32nd minute, Reid threaded a precise pass into Casey, who was clipped after cutting inside, prompting the referee to point immediately to the spot. Reid stepped up himself and swept the penalty confidently into the far corner, completely deceiving the goalkeeper to register his third goal of the International Cup campaign and hand Palace a deserved advantage.

Gladbach looked to respond swiftly, but resolute defending from Charlie Walker-Smith proved decisive, as he did just enough to unsettle Uwakhonye inside the area at a crucial moment.

With five minutes of the half remaining, Palace doubled their lead. Reid’s free-kick was initially headed clear, but after a series of aerial challenges the ball dropped to Walker-Smith, who cleverly hooked it back over the Gladbach backline. Casey reacted sharply, meeting it with a sweet half-volley from close range to claim his third goal of the competition.

Palace headed into the interval two goals to the good after an accomplished first-half display.

Palace began the second half knowing the current scoreline would be enough to secure progression to the knockout stages. However, the restart proved stop-start in nature, with play briefly halted to allow Umolu to receive treatment, before we resumed a few minutes later.

The contest had grown cagey, with Gladbach probing for a way back into the game. On the hour mark, Tyler Whyte timed his run perfectly to make a superb sliding block on the line, denying what looked to be a certain goal.

Under sustained pressure, the visitors earned a free-kick just outside the area. Fritz Fleck curled a dangerous effort over the wall, only for Jackson Izquierdo to produce a brilliant diving save, tipping the ball over the bar.

For much of the second half  up to this stage, play had largely been confined to our half. However, in the 70th minute, Umolu drifted inside and fired a shot that skimmed just inches past the near post. Gladbach countered at pace immediately after, but Jasper Judd was on hand with an excellent sliding block to deny a well-struck effort from close range.

As Palace entered the final third, appeals for a penalty rang out when Casey was bundled over just yards from goal as he prepared to pull the trigger, but the referee waved them away. The match had now reached edge-of-your-seat intensity.

The fourth official signalled five minutes of added time and Gladbach came close to snatching a lifeline, rattling the crossbar with a bullet header from an inswinging corner – a heart-in-mouth moment, as a leveller would have seen us eliminated.

Fortunately, Palace held on to their two-goal lead, securing progression into the Premier League International Cup quarter-finals having topped Group B on goal difference – and deservedly so, following a thoroughly extremely impressive performance.

Palace: Izquierdo, Judd, Walker-Smith, King, Reid, Whyte, Gibbard, Umolu (Brownlie, 80'), Williams, Casey (Dashi, 89'), Benamar.

Subs not used: Lee, Agbinone, Adams-Collman, Martin.

Borussia Monchengladbach: Pereira Cardoso, Uwakhonye, Valifard (Nguefack, 45'), Michaelis, Danfa, Berko (Muradian, 49'), Lieder, Fleck, Stange, Meiser, Vidic.

Subs not used: Dimmer, Adozi, Woersdoerfer, Koukkumaeki, Horvat.