U21s Report & Highlights: Young Eagles slip to narrow defeat against in-form Sunderland

Summary:

• Darren Powell makes three changes from the defeat to West Ham with Wednesday’s U18s Premier League Cup semi-final in mind, as Kaden Rodney, Matteo Dashi and Rylan Brownlie come into the side, the latter making his first start of 25/26.
• 2: Jemiah Umolu drives towards the penalty area and let's fly, but the strike is straight down the 'keepers throat.
• 4: Jaydon Jones’ half-volley sails wide of the post.
• 6: Umolu beats Ben Kindon for pace to latch onto the pass in-behind the right channel, before he drifts inside and rattles the crossbar.
• 10: There is a brief pause to proceedings as Liam Hunt receives some treatment, but we're now back underway.
• 14: Matteo Dashi floats the ball towards the far post and finds the onrushing Umolu, he is denied close-range, before the flag goes up for offside.
• 26: Felix Scott beats Lee one-on-one, only for Tyler Whyte to make an excellent sliding clearance off the goal line!
• 38: Whyte makes another superb clearance off the line!
• 41: Dylan Reid’s audacious effort from range is over the bar.
• 43: Seb Williams arrows the ball across the face of goal for Umolu to control and see his half-volley go narrowly over the bar.
• 45 (+1) – GOAL: Charlie Dinsdale gives Sunderland the lead.
• 45 (+2): Umolu is denied twice from close-range thanks to Cowan’s brilliance.
• HT: Palace 0-1 Sunderland
• 47: Cardines fires across goal and Brownlie slides wide.
• 49: Jones curls inches wide of Lee’s far corner from outside the penalty area.
• 60: Umolu lashes the delivery across the face of goal and it grazes the boot of the onrushing Brownlie.
• 75: Tom Proctor rattles the post, before Lee gathers the follow-up.
• 77: Benji Casey races in behind but his heavy touch sees the chance slip away.
• 83: Umolu fashions the ball onto his stronger left and whips agonisingly wide of the far post.
• Six minutes additional time…
• 90 (+3): Casey lifts the ball just over the bar following a series of flick-ons.
• FT: Palace 0-1 Sunderland

Despite a 3-0 defeat to West Ham last time out, Palace arrived in confident mood. A 2-1 win over Fulham ended their 13-game unbeaten run, before a 2-0 victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach secured progression to the International Cup quarter-finals.

Starting the evening 13th in PL2 with 21 points from 14 games, the young Eagles sat three points clear of the final play-off spot with a game in hand and six fixtures remaining.

Sunderland, meanwhile, had lost just one of their last seven league matches and began the night level on 18 points, outside the top 16 only on goal difference.

Darren Powell made three changes with Wednesday’s U18 Premier League Cup semi-final in mind.

Charlie Walker-Smith and Benji Casey dropped to the bench, Dean Benamar was named among the substitutes, and Jasper Judd and Joel Drakes-Thomas were omitted entirely to manage minutes.

Kaden Rodney returned to form an unconventional back three with Tyler Whyte and George King, while Matteo Dashi and Rylan Brownlie came into the attack, the latter making his first start.

Palace issued an early warning sign inside two minutes as Jemiah Umolu drove towards the young Black Cats’ penalty area and fired a shot, but it was straight down the ‘keepers throat.

At the other end, Harry Lee was alert to punch away a dangerous inswinging corner, while Jaydon Jones’ half-volley from the rebound sailed wide.

Umolu troubled the visitors once more, beating Ben Kindon for pace to latch onto a ball in behind on the right before drifting inside. His whipped effort beat a diving Joe Cowan but was denied by the crossbar.

Palace continued to probe for the opener as Dashi floated a delivery to the back post, where the onrushing Umolu forced Cowan into a smart reaction save from close-range and then was adjudged offside.

Approaching the 20-minute mark, it was clear both teams were still working each other out. Sunderland were growing in confidence and beginning to apply some pressure, but Lee remained untested.

Mid-way through, the young Black Cats were turning the screw. Dangerman Finn Geragusian flashed wide on the swivel inside the area, before Felix Scott beat Lee one-on-one only for Whyte to produce an excellent clearance off the line.

Entering the final third of the half, the young Eagles weathered a few waves of Sunderland attack.

Charlie Dinsdale arrowed a threatening low delivery across the face of goal, which Lee did well to push away, before Tom Proctor’s first-time strike flew the wrong side of the post.

A few minutes later, Geragusian raced clear and thundered towards the far corner, fortunately Whyte was once again alert to clear off the line.

On the stroke of half-time we came agonisingly close to taking the lead, Seb Williams squared the ball into the path of Umolu a few yards out from goal, who saw his half-volley go narrowly over the bar.

Three minutes of added time were indicated and Sunderland struck immediately, Dinsdale squeezing a finish past Lee at the near post.

Palace almost responded at once as Rio Cardines whipped a delicious delivery onto Umolu’s head, but Cowan produced a superb parry. Umolu reacted quickest to the rebound, only to be denied again. The young Eagles were left wondering how they went into the break a goal down.

Palace began the second half brightly as Cardines drove a low ball across goal, but Brownlie slid his effort wide of the post. Jones then curled inches past Lee’s far corner from outside the box, leaving the shot-stopper scrambling – chances at both ends inside the opening five minutes…

Sunderland’s defensive resolve continued to frustrate Palace. On the hour mark, Umolu flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal that was crying out for a touch, but it skimmed the outstretched boot of the onrushing Brownlie.

On 70 minutes, the young Eagles were in the ascendancy, yet we couldn’t find a way through the Sunderland backline. In a bid to inspire an equaliser, Powell made a double change with Casey and Benamar taking to the pitch.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes, it became an end-to-end contest. Proctor rattled the post before Lee gathered the follow-up comfortably. Palace then broke at pace, but Casey’s heavy touch after driving in behind unfortunately allowed the chance to slip away.

It was almost third time lucky for Umolu when Walker-Smith’s long throw was only partially cleared to him on the edge of the area. He shifted the ball onto his stronger left foot and curled an effort agonisingly wide of the far corner.

A series of pinball like scrambles ensued inside the young Black Cats’ penalty area, but still we couldn’t convert…

Six minutes of added time were indicated, and several flick-ons eventually found Casey, whose effort sailed just over the crossbar, proving to be Palace’s final chance of the game.

The result sees the young Eagles drop to 14th in PL2 on 21 points, level with Everton and Wolves just above the play-off cut-off (top 16). Attention now turns to Friday’s clash with Blackburn, with hopes of returning to winning ways.

Palace: Lee, Whyte, Gibbard, Rodney, King, Reid (Benamar, 72'), Cardines, Williams, Umolu, Dashi (Walker-Smith, 78'), Brownlie (Casey, 72').

Subs not used: Hill, Adams-Collman.

Sunderland: Cowan, Holcroft, Lightfoot, Hunt (Lenz, 70'), Lienard, Kindon, Dinsdale (Neill, 75'), Jones, Geragusian, Proctor, Scott (Bowman, 91').

Subs not used: Robertson, Walsh.