Report & Highlights: Palace U21s return to winning ways in triumph over Anderlecht

Summary

• Riad returns from injury to start in defence amidst four changes

• 1: Anderlecht start well and get a deflected shot that goes wide

• 7: Derry scuffs a shot after linking up well with Cardines

• 16: Anderlecht hit the post from a corner

• 23: Reid’s effort from distance is narrowly over the bar

• 28 - GOAL: Marsh puts Palace ahead from the spot

• 30 - GOAL: Jemide doubles the lead two minutes later

• 31: Agbinone almost gets a third straight after the restart

• 35: Derry backheels it into Cardines who almost gets a third for Palace

• 37 - GOAL: Van de Ven pulls one back for Anderlecht

• 40: Jemide makes a good block to stop de Corte

• HT: Palace 2-1 Anderlecht

• Chances are few and far between at the start of the second-half

• 70: Browne does well to block a goalbound Anderlecht effort

• 72: Marsh cuts it back to Umolu in the box who fires narrowly wide

• 83: Rodney nearly catches the goalkeeper off his line

• 84: Umolu hits the post and Derry goes close to adding a third

• 90+5 - GOAL: Umolu wraps it up with his 12th of the season

• FT: Palace 3-1 Anderlecht

Almost two weeks on from their narrow defeat to Newcastle on the road, Crystal Palace Under-21s were back in Premier League International Cup action as they welcomed RSC Anderlecht Futures to the VBS Community Stadium.

First-team defender Chadi Riad returned to action for the first time in over three months, after sustaining an injury against Norwich City in the EFL Cup back in August.

He was one of four changes in total, with Caleb Kporha, Asher Agbinone and Dylan Reid also returning in place of Luke Browne, Joe Sheridan, Jadan Raymond and Jemiah Umolu.

Anderlecht came into this game at the bottom of Group D, but they were off to a flying start in the opening quarter of an hour - firing wide early on and hitting the post after a well delivered corner.

Palace had chances of their own, with Zach Marsh seeing a shot across the face of goal parried behind and the returning Reid firing narrowly over the bar from 25-yards out.

It was the Eagles who drew first blood in the clash near the half-hour mark. Marsh was brought down inside the box and duly stepped up to convert the resulting penalty.

He registered his second of the season with an effort from 12-yards out that went under Michiel Haentjens in the Anderlecht goal, who dived the right way but couldn’t keep it out.

Just over two minutes after going a goal to the good, Palace quickly doubled their lead. A free-kick from Jesse Derry was floated into the box and Marsh was quickest to react.

His effort was saved by Haentjens, though the rebound fell to centre-back Mofe Jemide who reacted with striker-like instincts to force it in despite the ‘keeper getting two hands to his strike.

It was almost three within minutes of doubling the lead, as both Rio Cardines and Agbinone had golden opportunities. The former was played in by a creative backheel from Derry, only to see his effort parried away, while the latter saw his shot blocked by a recovering defender.

Anderlecht did manage to pull one back with 37 minutes on the clock, Terry Van de Ven netted with a strike from the edge of the box that went in off the post.

Palace saw off the late Anderlecht resurgence at the end of the first-half and with just a minute added on both sides knew the next goal would be crucial in the second phase of the game.

After the interval it was a cagey affair, with both sides failing to create any clear-cut opportunities. Riad was substituted at half-time, as planned.

The game then burst back into life in the 70th minute, as the Belgian side were through on goal. Substitute Luke Browne, who came on for Riad, did well as the last defender - putting his body on the line to block the effort from Jarne Flies.

Straight down the other end, Derry picked out Marsh on the right hand side and the No. 9 cut it back across for Jemiah Umolu inside the box who fired just wide.

With just over 10 minutes remaining it was all-action. Kaden Rodney, who came on for his first appearance since October, almost caught the ‘keeper off his line after winning the ball back in the final third, though his looping strike bounced just wide of the post.

Moments later Umolu hit the post from about 20-yards out with a driven effort and Derry then followed up with a shot that was narrowly wide of the mark.

Eventually, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Derry slipped in Umolu who this time made no mistake to finish across the face of goal into the bottom corner to seal all three points.

Powell’s side now sit in third place in Group D of the Premier League International Cup with one game remaining against RB Leipzig in January. They are two points off of Chelsea who also have one game remaining, while Brighton top the group.

Palace: Moulden (GK), Kporha (Grante, 67), Jemide, Riad (Browne, HT), Grehan, Reid (Rodney, 63), Cardines (Raymond, 90), Mustapha, Marsh, Derry, Agbinone (Umolu, HT).

Subs not used: Izquierdo (GK), Gibbard.

Anderlecht: Haentjens (GK), Bethume (De Ridder, 86), Onia Seke, Barry, Flies, Wola-Wetshay, Moutha-Sebtaoui, de Cat (Ilunga-Tshiapidia, 62), Van de Ven, Maamar (Vergeylen, 62), de Corte (Conte, 67).

Subs not used: Wenssens (GK), Steenhaut, de Ridder.