Late drama for a second game running saw Crystal Palace Under-18s defeat Chelsea through a David Omilabu brace, the Eagles trumping the Blues twice this season and ending the day top of the league.
Summary
- The Eagles seek a second victory over Chelsea this season
- The first half an hour is a quiet affair – with Chelsea pressuring their hosts and Palace seeking to catch them with fast, free-flowing counter-attacks
- Both sides begin creating more chances after 30 minutes
- The Blues’ Joe Haigh hits the crossbar with a 20-yard free-kick before Charlie Webster strikes the post
- David Omilabu nets shortly before half-time to put Palace ahead
- Half-time: Crystal Palace 1-0 Chelsea Under-18s
- Chelsea pull level through Silko Thomas’ well-taken shot
- The game becomes livelier, with both sides enjoying half-chances
- Palace produce a dominant spell from the 70th-minute onwards
- With just minutes left, Omilabu nets from the spot to claim three points for the Eagles
- Full-time: Crystal Palace 2-1 Chelsea Under-18s
Hosting historically one of youth football’s most dominant forces as their Academy continued construction around them, Palace would make a serious statement of intent by beating Chelsea twice in a season
In the opening minutes, however, the visiting Blues showed their calibre with a driven, high-energy game that saw the ball fizz across Joe Whitworth’s box before flying over his bar shortly after.