Report: Sensational Palace smash seven past Bournemouth

Summary

• Palace named a side with a mix of experienced U21s players and U18s

• 3: Palace threaten early from corners

• 20 - GOAL: Whyte volleys Palace ahead

• 23: Palace put a dangerous ball in, but no one is on the end of it

• 28: Trialist A makes a good save following a Bournemouth corner

• 30: Marsh and Agbinone have efforts for a second

• 41: Bournemouth have a chance on the edge of the box that curls just wide

• HT: Palace 1-0 Bournemouth

• 52 - GOAL: Agbinone doubles the lead with a fierce strike inside the box

• 54 - GOAL: Umolu quickly adds a third from close range

• 64 - GOAL: Brownlie comes on and scores the fourth

• 70: Reid tries an audacious effort from the halfway line that ends up being tipped over

• 74 - GOAL: Nascimento heads it in from an Ebiowei free-kick

• 81 - GOAL: Umolu gets a brace with a well-taken strike

• 86 - GOAL: Umolu heads in a hat-trick and wraps it up for Palace

• FT: Palace 7-0 Bournemouth

Crystal Palace Under-21s welcomed AFC Bournemouth U21s to Copers Cope for their first home pre-season friendly ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Head coach Darren Powell named a side with experience at U21s level and some Under 18s stepping up for the first-half, with a number of them having featured in the 3-1 win against Barnet last week.

Both sides took a while to get going in the opening exchanges, with Palace predominantly threatening from corners. The breakthrough came in the 20th minute, when Dean Benamar found space down the left hand side and stood a ball up into the box.

It evaded everyone, apart from Tyler Whyte who came rushing into the box to meet it on the volley firing in on his left foot.

With the breakthrough being found, both sides had further chances in the first-half. Benamar again was causing problems down the left, while Zach Marsh and Asher Agbinone both saw efforts go wide.

Bournemouth were denied by Trialist A in the Palace goal from point blank range, with the shot-stopper reacting quickly to deny the effort that was met well. The visitors also had the last chance of the half, with an effort curling just wide.

After the interval it was all change for both sides, with Bournemouth and Palace both making three or more substitutions to give players a chance to gain match sharpness ahead of the new season.

Agbinone doubled the lead seven minutes into the second-half, capping off a great move. Benamar did brilliantly initially in the build up, beating his man and finding Marsh on a charge forward.

Marsh in turn found Agbinone inside the box with a perfectly weighted ball and the Palace No. 10 rifled in a fierce effort from close range, leaving the Bournemouth ‘keeper stranded.

A quickfire third was added a couple of minutes later, with Jemiah Umolu getting his name on the scoresheet. Benamar again did well down the left-hand side, squaring into the path of the striker who couldn’t miss from close range.

Further changes on the hour-mark saw the remainder of the starting XI replaced. Rylan Brownlie came on amidst those changes and scored with what was one of his first touches.

Umolu initially saw a chance inside the box parried away by the Bournemouth ‘keeper, with it falling perfectly for Brownlie to slot into an empty net.

Midfielder Dylan Reid tried to catch the Bournemouth goalkeeper out with an audacious effort from the half-way line, but it was tipped over and behind right at the last minute.

A fifth came with just over 15 minutes remaining and Adler Nascimento was wheeling away in celebration. The Portuguese forward managed to get on the end of a Malcolm Ebiowei free-kick into the box, looping his header up and over the ‘keeper into the Bournemouth net.

Five minutes later, Nascimento then turned provider to set up Umolu for a sixth. Ebiowei and Reid slid in well in the middle of the park, with the ball breaking to Nascimento who played a through ball into the path of Umolu.

It was met on the half-volley by Umolu, with the outside of his foot, rifling into the side netting past the diving ‘keeper.

With a few minutes left on the clock, Umolu rounded off the scoring and completed his hat-trick with a header from close range. Ebiowei beat his man on the byline and put in a great ball across the face of goal that Umolu headed in from close range.

A resounding 7-0 win, but more importantly vital minutes in the legs for every player involved as the gears turn quicker towards the start of the 2025/26 season.

Powell and his side will turn their attention to facing League Two Bromley on Tuesday, 22nd July (KO: 19:45 BST) - tickets are available for this game from just £5, with U12s going free, click HERE for more info!

Palace: Trialist A (GK) (Trialist B, 62 (GK)), Whyte (Dashi, 62), Grante (Somade, 58), Holding (Walker-Smith, HT), Browne (Brownlie, 62), Williams (Reid, HT), Benamar (Judd, 62), Gibbard (Adams-Collman, 62), Ola-Adebomi (Umolu, HT), Agbinone (Ebiowei, 62), Marsh (Nascimento, 62).