PALACE WIN THE GENERATIONS CUP
What an afternoon at St George’s Park.
Palace are Generations Cup champions after Jobi McAnufff’s winning goal in the decider – and how good does it feel?
FT: PALACE 1-0 UPTON PARK
PALACE ARE CHAMPIONS.
50 MINS – SCRAMBLED AWAY
Palace survive – is that it?
48 MINS – LATE DRAMA?!
Upton Park pile forwards, and Speroni tips behind.
The goalkeeper is up for the corner, I repeat, THE GOALKEEPER IS UP.
46 MINUTES – ALMOST THERE…
Palace are four minutes from the title, but Upton Park are still threatening.
Can the Eagles hold on?
38 MINS – CHANCES AT BOTH ENDS!
This game is on a knife-edge – one Upton Park goal makes them champions, another for Palace and they will lift the trophy.
Speroni gets down well to save before Andy Johnson and Jobi McAnuff combine once again for Palace, but they can’t make the breakthrough.
33 MINS – A BIG BLOCK…
We often hear Rob Quinn instruct his Under-18s side to ‘be brave’ – well the Palace man proves here that he can walk the walk.
Upton Park fashion an opening in the area, but Quinn stands tall and avoids Speroni being called into action.
29 MINS – PINBALL IN THE AREA
Palace are close to a second as the ball bobbles around the penalty area, but several shots are blocked and eventually it’s thumped away.
THE BRAINS TRUST…
25 MINS – BACK UNDERWAY
Upton Park start the second-half quickly, and Speroni is forced into an early save.
HT: PALACE 1-0 UPTON PARK
There are 25 minutes between Palace and the Generation Cup trophy.
Mile Jedinak is running the show – shades of Diego Maradona anyone…?
WATCH – MCANUFF’S STUNNING FINISH
Pick. That. Out.
20 MINS – JUST WIDE!
Dave Cooper again!
This time the ball drops on the edge of the box from a corner. Cooper strikes first-time with his right, but it flashes narrowly wide.
18 MINS – STUNNING VOLLEY
What a shot – what a save!
Dave Cooper almost doubles Palace’s lead, unleashing a left-footed volley towards the upright, but the Upton Park ‘keeper is equal to it and pushes it behind.
16 MINS – GOAL! PALACE 1-0 UPTON PARK
SCREAMER!
Palace break the deadlock, and it’s a piece of Jobi McAnuff brilliance.
With McKenzie and Johnson battling in the area, Upton Park scramble the ball away.
It falls far McAnuff however, who has the space and time to pick out the top corner with a curling strike, and send Palace into the lead.
14 MINS – LAST-DITCH DEFENDING
An opening at the other end as Upton Park’s young attacker rounds Speroni, only for Michael Kamara to get back and smuggle the ball to safety.
11 MINS – INCHES AWAY!
Palace fashion their first opening. A break forwards sees Leon McKenzie drive the ball across goal, but Johnson can’t stretch to get the crucial touch.
8 MINS – A CAGEY AFFAIR
Both teams are sussing each other out in the early stages, with no real chances for either side to speak of.
KICK-OFF
We’re underway, with Andy Johnson once again leading the line for the Eagles.
Only a win will do for Palace, with Upton Park possessing the superior goal difference coming into the tie.
13:55 – SO FAR SO GOOD
A break for Palace, and a chance for today’s boss Mark Bright to deliver some pearls of wisdom to the players, before the decider against Upton Park…
13:40 – EAGLES ON THE ROAD
There are flashes of red and blue all over St George’s Park – a huge thank-you to all the Palace fans that travelled to support the lads this afternoon.
FT: PALACE 4-1 CIVIL SERVICE
Palace start the competition with a win, and it’s convincing.
Goals from Johnson, Jedinak, Adebola and McAnuff are enough to put the Eagles in with a chance of picking up the trophy – but there is still a match to come.
Stay tuned on Palace TV+!
45 MINS – IN CONTROL
The Eagles are well in control of this one – and just because these players aren’t playing professionally anymore doesn’t mean there isn’t a bit of needle.
The challenges are flying in and the referee has been busy – that competitiveness never leaves you.
40 MINS – DENIED BY THE FLAG!
It’s almost five for Palace as Leon McKenzie smashes home from close-range, but the linesman’s flag is up and Palace are denied.
35 MINS – GOAL! PALACE 4-1 CIVIL SERVICE
He did it in the semis and now he’s doing it in the final. Jobi McAnuff shows he can still play at the highest standard, launching a mazy run through midfield and drilling a low effort into the bottom corner.
When he gets into the flow like that, there’s just no stopping him.
29 MINS – OVER THE TOP
‘He almost hit that too well’.
There’s almost an unlikely goalscorer for Palace as Rob Quinn finds himself in the penalty area – the ball drops to him eight-yards out but he fires a powerful effort over the top.
26 MINS – GOAL! PALACE 3-1 CIVIL SERVICE
Civil Service have one back, and the conditions have to take the assist. A corner floated in towards the back post deceives everyone before dropping on the line.
The assistant signals that the ball is over, and the goal is given.
KICK-OFF
We’re underway in the second-half, and there’s been an early goal…
WHAT A FINISH!
Check out the second and third goals below!
HT: PALACE 3-0 CIVIL SERVICE
So far, so good for Mark Bright’s side. Now for some inspirational words from the gaffer to get the Eagles through the second half…
17 MINS – CLOSE TO A BRACE
It’s almost four, and AJ almost has his second.
It’s McAnuff with the delivery again, and a diving Johnson can’t quite get enough on it to direct it goalwards.
14 MINS – GOAL! PALACE 3-0 CIVIL SERVICE
It’s three!
It’s more gorgeous football from the Palace legends. This time Jedinak is the provider, laying the ball across the area towards Andy Johnson.
The striker’s dummy allows McAnuff in, who finds Adebola in the penalty to slot home.
12 MINS – GOAL! PALACE 2-0 CIVIL SERVICE
WHAT A GOAL!
It never leaves you. This is Mile Jedinak at his Premier League best.
The captain steps in to win the ball in midfield, exchanging passes with a teammate before rounding two defenders and racing in on goal.
With the ball bouncing up, he lofts an inch-perfect lob over the ‘keeper and into the back of the net.
Palace are purring here.
9 MINS – CHANCE!
Jobi McAnuff is starting to find some joy on the right-hand side. Recieving the ball from Johnson, he whips a first time cross into the far post.
Dele Adebola is there but can’t guide it goalwards.
WATCH – JOHNSON OPENS THE SCORING
Check out AJ’s opener below – follow the club’s official Twitter page for more in-game clips.
4 MINS – GOAL! PALACE 1-0 CIVIL SERVICE
Palace are in-front straight away, and who else but Andy Johnson?
The prolific striker races through on goal, rounds the keeper with ease and knocks the ball into the empty net, to the delight of the travelling Palace fans.
First blood to the Eagles – can they build from here?
3 MINS – CHANCE!
Speroni is called into action for the first time, pouncing on the ball in the area as the danger built for Palace.
Some early promise for Civil Service.
KICK-OFF
We’re underway, and captain Mile Jedinak is commanding his teammates from midfield straight away.
12:30 – TEAMS EMERGE
The teams are out and we’re moments from kick-off – Jobi McAnuff, Andy Johnson and co are playing in Palace’s commemorative blue and white strip, to celebrate the club’s 160th anniversary.
The first opponents are Civil Service FC – remember, you can watch the game LIVE on Palace TV+.
12:20 – SOME FAMILIAR FACES
We’re just moments from kick-off in Palace first game of the day, and the players have been refamiliarising themselves with that famous Palace badge in the warm-ups.
WELCOME TO THE GENERATION CUP
In 1871 Crystal Palace were among the teams to compete in the inaugural FA Cup competition.
Now, 150 years later, a team of Palace legends is back to celebrate the competition – and where better than at the headquarters of English football: St George’s Park.
