Palace Cruise Past Crawley in Confident Pre-Season Win
Crystal Palace fans were treated to a confident, composed performance as their side eased past Crawley Town with a 3-0 win in their second pre-season match ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The game kicked off with immediate energy, and it didn’t take long before the scoreboard reflected Palace’s intent. Just two minutes in, Jean-Philippe Mateta opened the scoring. A slightly misjudged touch by Crawley defender Dion Conroy—following a deflected pass from Ismaïla Sarr—landed perfectly for Mateta, who made no mistake slotting it in with his left foot. The early lead was celebrated in style with a trademark corner-flag kick.
From that point on, Palace looked in full control. Ebere Eze, who was making his first pre-season appearance after international duty, lit up the first half with trademark flair and creativity. A couple of his early attempts were either deflected or saved, but he looked sharp and dangerous every time he picked up the ball.
Also Read:- Fenway Park Strike Kicks Off During Red Sox vs. Dodgers Weekend
- Josh Rock Stuns Gerwyn Price to Set Up Semi with Luke Littler at World Matchplay
On the half-hour mark, Eze got the goal he deserved. A quick counterattack started by Daichi Kamada and powered by Mateta’s strong run saw Eze receive a perfect lay-off. With calm precision, he doubled Palace’s lead and confirmed their dominance.
By halftime, Palace were cruising at 2-0, with barely a serious threat from the home side. Manager Oliver Glasner rang in the changes after the break, bringing on several fresh faces including Daniel Muñoz, who was wearing the No. 2 shirt for the first time.
The second half was a bit more balanced as Crawley adjusted, but Palace’s quality still shone through. Around the 70th minute, left wing-back Tyrick Mitchell whipped in a sharp low cross that was met first-time by Muñoz. It was a clean, confident strike that sealed the result at 3-0.
Crawley did push back toward the end, even creating a few half-chances, but any hopes of a comeback were quashed—most notably by Mitchell again, who made a crucial late tackle to deny a Crawley trialist.
With this result, Palace maintained their 100% pre-season record, earning two wins and two clean sheets so far. Many of the international players made their season debuts in this match—Eze, Sarr, Henderson, Kamada, and Lerma among them—giving fans a first look at how the full-strength squad is shaping up.
Next up for the Eagles: a trip to Austria, as preparations continue for a season that’s already showing strong early signs.
Read More:
0 Comments