Crystal Palace’s Under-21s have been crowned Premier League International Cup winners for the first time, after a 1-0 win over reigning champions PSV Eindhoven Under-21s in Wednesday’s final at Selhurst Park.
Victory, secured by Franco Umeh’s deflected second-half effort, offered revenge of a sort for the likes of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and David Ozoh, who were part of the Palace U21s side that last year lost to PSV in the final.
The competition was formed in the 2014/15 season and pits 12 of England’s best academy sides against 12 of the best from across Europe. Previous winners include Bayern Munich, Porto B (twice), and inaugural champions Manchester City.
Palace faced an onslaught in the first half at Selhurst Park, indebted to their goalkeeper and captain Joe Whitworth for a string of top stops.
Mohamed Nassoh and Tai Abed Kassus both went close for PSV, with the former taking on a number of speculative efforts and Whitworth required to tip one fine strike up, against the crossbar and away.
A rather more even second half saw playmaker Roshaun Mathurin and right-back Danny Imray impress for Darren Powell’s side, who scored the game’s only goal when Mathurin pulled back and Umeh slotted home via a sizeable deflection.
Palace chairman Steve Parish and in-demand sporting director Dougie Freedman were both in attendance as they watched on from the Selhurst Park directors’ box.
