Crystal Palace Under-21s made it three games unbeaten with a 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in their Premier League International Cup opener at Sutton United’s Borough Sports Ground on Wednesday night.
Adler Nascimento opened the scoring in stunning fashion, bending a sublime free-kick over the wall and into the top corner, before Harry Lee produced a superb penalty save on the stroke of half-time to preserve the lead.
Seb Williams doubled the advantage early in the second half in trademark fashion, striking a crisp half-volley into the back of the net, and although Noa Bezeme pulled one back for PSG, Darren Powell’s side held firm to secure an impressive opening victory in the competition.
After opening their Premier League 2 campaign with a 1-1 draw at Arsenal, Darren Powell’s side claimed their first three points with a 2-0 smash-and-grab victory over Aston Villa on Friday.
Buoyed by that unbeaten start, the Young Eagles turned their attention to the International Cup, with Powell making three changes as Jasper Judd, Euan Danaher and Benji Casey came into the XI. Casey was rewarded with a start after opening the scoring against Villa.
There was plenty of excitement on the bench, too, with first-year U21 Khyan Frazer-Williams, summer signing Amaari Sealey, and U18s Ajean-Ray Greaves and Raihaan Anderson all in line to make their competitive debuts.
Palace came agonisingly close to an opener inside the first minute. Seb Williams floated a free-kick into the penalty area, where Charlie Walker-Smith’s looping header forced Alessandro Longoni into a fine diving save before the danger was eventually scrambled clear.
A few minutes later, Palace had their opener – and what an opener it was.
Dragged down on the edge of the area, Nascimento dusted himself off to take the resulting free-kick and produced a moment of magic, whipping it over the wall and into the top corner. The ‘keeper could only stand and watch as it nestled beyond his reach. Wow. Just wow.
The Young Eagles pushed hard to capitalise on their momentum and double their advantage, but PSG weathered the early storm.
The pendulum soon swung the other way, with the visitors offering a few warning signs of their own.
A pull-back found an onrushing forward, who fired over the bar first time, before Lee produced a strong save with his legs to keep out a low-driven effort from close range.
On 20 minutes, Palace were firmly in the ascendancy. Makai Bernard-Ferguson sent a dangerous delivery flashing across the face of goal, before Walker-Smith poked an effort wide.
The defender then lofted a clever ball in behind to release Casey, who raced through one-on-one, only to be denied by Longoni.
Palace continued to move the ball well, but their rhythm was repeatedly disrupted by a series of cynical PSG challenges, much to the growing frustration of the crowd.
As the half entered its final third, the Parisians began to enjoy more possession and probe the Palace backline, but they were struggling to seriously test Lee.
Powell’s side were pinned deep inside their own half and finding it difficult to escape, but the Young Eagles stood firm. PSG were unable to penetrate the Palace defence, with their pressure producing little of note.
The board went up to indicate two minutes of added time, and suddenly the game burst into life.
A rush of blood from Casey, desperate to make amends after losing possession in a dangerous position, saw him concede a penalty with a clumsy sliding challenge.
But Lee carried his inspired form from Friday’s win over Aston Villa into this contest, producing an outstanding diving save to push away Quentin Ndjantou’s spot-kick.
From the resulting corner, PSG struck the underside of the bar as Palace survived another scare.
Fortunately, the Young Eagles went into the break ahead, with Nascimento’s stunning free-kick and Lee’s heroics from the penalty spot the difference.
Palace made a bright start to the second half, with Casey threatening in behind before being penalised for a foul as he challenged for the ball.
PSG threatened at the other end, but Jasper Judd made a crucial block to deny Idder inside the area.
The Young Eagles continued to press for a second, forcing turnovers in dangerous areas, but the ball would not fall kindly for them, with Tyler Whyte’s miscued effort comfortably gathered by Longoni.
Approaching the hour mark, Lee tipped a powerful strike from the left channel behind, before David Boly lashed an effort well wide of the post.
Powell introduced attacking midfielder Sealey shortly afterwards, handing the summer signing his competitive U21 debut.
Palace then doubled their advantage in style. Danaher found Gibbard down the left, who curled a ball into Casey on the right side of the area. He cleverly side-footed it into the path of the onrushing Seb Williams, who unleashed a crisp half-volley into the back of the net.
The visitors continued to withstand a succession of Palace shots and crosses, but they were eventually rewarded for their persistence.
On 74 minutes, Bezeme got in behind and halved the deficit, punishing the Young Eagles for failing to make the most of their earlier chances.
Powell responded with a double change to inject fresh legs, including in-form U18s captain AJ Greaves, who was handed his competitive U21s debut.
Palace continued to pile on the pressure, with a series of pinball-like scrambles inside the PSG box seeing shots repeatedly blocked. Williams then went close again, his half-volley well saved as the game entered its final 10 minutes.
In the dying embers, Casey had a golden opportunity to put the game beyond doubt.
Having weathered another PSG storm, Palace broke at pace, with Sealey released down the left. He squared for Casey in acres of space, but after a slick exchange between the pair, the forward’s effort was blocked on the line amid a sea of PSG bodies.
Four minutes of added time were signalled, and the visitors continued to pile on the pressure. But Palace remained resolute, with an audacious effort from Sealey, straight at the ‘keeper, proving the final action of the contest.
The result extends Powell’s side’s unbeaten start to three games and, more importantly, secures an opening victory in Group D of the International Cup.
The Young Eagles sit top of the group on three points, with Jong PSV and Sunderland both on one point and PSG on zero, with all four sides having played once.
The Young Eagles now face a lengthy break before returning to action against Swindon Town in the EFL Trophy (Tuesday, 15th September, 19:00 BST), with hopes high that they can carry this momentum into their next challenge.
Palace XI: Lee (GK); Judd (Adams-Collman, 77), Okoli, Walker-Smith; Whyte, Williams (Anderson, 84’), Danaher, Gibbard; Casey, Nascimento (Greaves, 77’), Bernard-Ferguson (Sealey, 62).
Subs not used: Fasida, Hill, Frazer-Williams.
Paris Saint-Germain XI: Longoni (GK), Boly, Batedat, Olax, Lucea, Diyinu, N’Dri (Ghalleb, 66), Ndjantou, Idder (Marques Nunes, 66), Ayari, Fanne Drame (Bezeme, 57).
Subs not used: Mfutila, Francillonne, Mhand, Bastaraud.