Report & Highlights: Clinical Eagles impress in win over Augsburg

Summary:

• Glasner names same starting XI as FA Cup final, for first of two final pre-season matches.
• 4: Mateta’s deft pass frees Sarr, but his effort is blocked behind.
• 16: Henderson reacts sharply to keep out Tietz’s downwards header.
• 34: Mateta’s glancing header sails wide of the far post.
• 39 – GOAL: Mateta finishes off clever free-kick routine to give Palace the lead.
• 42: Forward then steers wide at the near post from Mitchell’s low ball in.
• HT: Augsburg 0-1 Palace
• 50: Kamada finds space from Wharton’s pass, but his shot is kicked behind.
• 51 – GOAL: Richards’ close-range header is saved and Mateta converts the rebound.
• 66: Wharton tries his luck from distance, but Dahmen saves.
• 68 – GOAL: Eze curls past ‘keeper and defender after Mateta’s first effort is denied.
• 88: Henderson makes impressive save late on from Dong.
• 90+1 – GOAL: Tietz’ contentious penalty reduces the deficit with last kick of the game.
• FT: Augsburg 1-3 Palace

Please note the highlights below cover both matches on the afternoon, including our 1-0 defeat later in the day.

The Eagles’ third pre-season outing of the week’s training camp in Austria – the first of two 90-minutes matches on the same day against last season’s 12th-placed Bundesliga team – was to be another step-up in preparations.

Having played a pair of entertaining 60-minute matches on Tuesday against Mainz 05, the Eagles once again named two distinct starting XIs – with the first being the same as the same which defeated Manchester City at Wembley two-and-a-half months ago, perhaps a precursor to our FA Community Shield match with Liverpool in a week’s time.

Oliver Glasner’s side started brightly, too, passing the ball sharply in the final third; Mateta had a shot on goal from distance inside the opening minute, before seconds later freeing Ismaila Sarr with a deft lofted pass. An awkward bounce took the forward wide, and his effort was smothered by Augsburg keeper Finn Dahmen.

The German team did threaten on the quarter-of-an-hour mark when Marius Wolf’s hanging cross flew over Chris Richards. Phillip Tietz headed an effort into the ground which Dean Henderson did well to beat away, before Richards stole in to clear.

But from then on, it was all Palace in an attacking sense. Mateta was ever the dangerman, and came close to scoring with a glancing header after half-an-hour; the forward raced onto Ebere Eze’s flat cross with a sharp run, but nodded wide.

The duo would combine cleverly for the opening goal. Eze, influential throughout, cut inside from the left and was fouled 25 yards from goal. The England international shaped to shoot from the resulting free-kick – only to lay the ball off delicately to Mateta inside the box.

The No. 14 controlled, spun, feinted – and then thrashed past the ‘keeper, opening the scoring for a third consecutive match he had featured in.

He could have added to it inside the first-half, too, sliding in to meet Tyrick Mitchell’s low ball towards the near post – but couldn’t quite find the contact to steer it across the goalkeeper.

After a strong end to the first-half, Palace started the second even sharper: Adam Wharton’s fine pass freed midfield partner Daichi Kamada inside the box, but his slightly scuffed finish was kicked behind by Dahmen.

From the subsequent corner, Chris Richards won the initial close-range header, kept out on the line – and Mateta, in the right place at the right time, slammed home his second goal of the day.

Wharton was next to go close for Palace in a period of dominance, his low shot from 25 yards being well kept out by the Augsburg ‘keeper.

But the Eagles’ one-touch passing in the final third was proving too much for Augsburg to handle, and with Mateta running clear once more, only a last-ditch sliding challenge denied him his hat-trick.

It would not deny Palace a goal, however, as Eze seized on the loose pass to curl high beyond both defender and goalkeeper, and put the game well and truly to bed as a contest.

Both teams appeared to tire there-on, with a late raft of substitutions meaning the pace of the game slowed for the final quarter or so.

Henderson appeared to have done enough to have secured Palace a well-earned clean sheet, producing a particularly impressive low stop to deny substitute Kyliane Dong on the breakaway.

It was not to be however, as a contentious penalty was awarded when Dong’s cross appeared to hit Jefferson Lerma’s midriff – but a spot-kick was nevertheless awarded and, with the last kick of the game, converted by Tietz.

Nevertheless, an impressively dominant display from Palace – nine days before our return to Wembley, to face Liverpool in the FA Community Shield – presented plenty of positives for Glasner and his coaching staff.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi, Muñoz, Kamada, Wharton, Mitchell, Sarr, Mateta, Eze.

Subs: Matthews (GK), Clyne, Hughes, Devenny, Lerma, Nketiah.

FC Augsburg: Dahmen (GK), Matsima (Sorg, 75), Gouweleeuw, Zesiger, Wolf, Massengo, Jakic (Klein, 75), Giannoulis (Breithaupt, 75), Komur, Tietz, Claude-Maurice (Dong, 50).

Subs: Klein (GK), Dardari.

As It Happened