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Crystal Palace XI: Hennessey, (Speroni,71) Ward,(Wynter,78) Dann, Delaney, (Croll,78) Souare,(Kelly,58) Jedinak,(Boateng,89) Puncheon,(Kaikai,71)Zaha,(Dreher,63) Bolasie,(Lee,46) Townsend,(Williams,63) Wickham (Anderson,63)

Valencia XI: Ryan,Cancelo,(Montoya,38) Santos,(Abdenour,63)Orban,Lato,Perez,Medran,(Rafa Mir,58) Soler,Fede,(Nani,45 Bakkali,79) Alcacer,(Eugeni,58) Mina

As the Football League began in earnest this weekend, Premier League sides entered their last round of friendlies before the big kick off for them next weekend. I decided to go and watch Crystal Palace take on Spanish giants Valencia at nicely warm Selhurst Park.

Both sides fielded fairly strong but not full strength sides with Palace missing 3 key players in Yohan Cabaye and summer signings Steve Mandanda and James Tomkins while Valencia rotated and left a number of first teamers on the bench.

The game began and Palace immediately took control with Andros Townsend particularly looking dangerous, getting past Valencia’s left back twice inside the first 60 seconds before the ball was cleared by the back four. However it was Valencia who had the first chance the ball was released to Paco Alcacer who turned, took a touch and fired just wide of the goal. Palace then took the lead with the next attack Wilfried Zaha getting down the left and crossing the ball and allowing Connor Wickham to flick past Matthew Ryan in the Valencia goal with 9 minutes on the clock.

The game then became bogged down in midfield with the Palace three of Zaha, Bolasie and Townsend proving particularly impressive with their movement and pace as well as their ability to interchange positions and create space for each other. The next real moment of note came when Yannick Bolasie was fouled on the left, the ball fell to Connor Wickham who finished with a stunning chip that flicked off the post and in, although a stunning goal was denied because the referee had already blown for the foul, much to Wickham’s dismay.

After this the game definitely became one that was a midfield battle, Mile Jedinak going in hard on Jose Cancelo causing the Valencia full back to have be substituted. In the next attack, Palace won a penalty Connor Wickham being bundled to the floor. Wickham picked himself up and took the spot kick himself, he fired more or less straight at Ryan although he did make up for it by rolling the rebound into the bottom corner of the net that was unguarded by the sprawled out Ryan. The rest of the first half was uneventful and Palace went in at half time with a deserved 2-0 lead.

At half time Valencia introduced summer signing and EURO 2016 winner, Nani into the field of play. Valencia seemed to start the half much better with Alcacer again pulling a shot wide. The game yet again became one that was mainly focused in the midfield area. With both sides having the odd attempt on goal,the only real event of note in the early minutes of the second half was Nani starting a scuffle by going in unnecessarily hard on Joel Ward, with him and Mile Jedinak being booked for the afters that followed. Palace then won a second penalty with substitute Keshi Anderson being bought down by Valencia keeper Matthew Ryan, up stepped his international teammate and Palace captain Mile Jedinak to take the penalty which he confidently dispatched into the bottom left hand corner of Ryan’s net. Palace were now 3-0 up and cruising while allowing Valencia to have much of the ball without doing a lot with it.

Valencia somehow didn’t pull one back on 72 minutes, a goalmouth scramble ensued with Wayne Hennessey pulling off a double save as well an excellently timed Scott Dann block on the goal line, the ball was finally thumped clear and Palace escaped the danger.

The last real event of note was Valencia finally pulling one back with Eugeni curling an excellent effort past Julian Speroni from around 25 yards albeit with a slight deflection off Scott Dann who was an imposing and stabilising figure throughout the match.

All in all a good workout for Palace against a team with a lot of quality, they dictated the game while not necessarily retaining possession and the acquisition of Andros Townsend for £13M looks like a fantastic piece of business by Alan Pardew, plus Palace also have France duo Steve Mandanda and Yohan Cabaye to come into the team as well along with James Tomkins who was injured and is touch and go for this weekend’s opening Premier League fixture with West Bromwich Albion. All in all a good start to what could be a great season for Palace.