Crystal Palace Thump SuperSport United in Cape Town Cup Opener


By Brent    25-Jul-2015 09:30 UTC+02:00
Lee Chung-Yong was named as the man of the match in Crystal Palace 4-0 win over SuperSport United.                            Picture Credit : Yahoo

Lee Chung-Yong was named man of the match in Crystal Palace’s 4-0 win over SuperSport United at the Cape Town Stadium.                  Picture Credit : Yahoo

Crystal Palace beat SuperSport United 4-0 at the Cape Town Stadium this evening, to book their place in the final of the Cape Town Cup on Sunday. First half goals from Mile Jedinak, Frazier Campbell, Jordan Mutch and Lee Chung-Yong, saw Palace take an unassailable lead and all but end the game as a contest before the half-time break.

Alan Pardew fielded a strong Palace team with new signing Yohan Cabaye named on the bench. SuperSport had some new faces in their team with New Zealand footballer Michael Boxall and former Bafana Bafana captain Bongani Khumalo, being named in the started line-up.

Crystal Palace threatened early on in the game, when a Jason Puncheon free kick led to a scramble in the penalty area which almost resulted in the games first goal. But Palace would take the lead a few seconds later, when the resultant corner was headed in by Crystal Palace captain Jedinak. The new look SuperSport defence was all at sea and looked extremely vulnerable in the early stages. In the 17th minute, Palace doubled the lead when Lee intercepted a pass from the SuperSport goalkeeper and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net, to make it 2-0 to the visitors. Palace were looking extremely dangerous and asserted their dominance on the match. Jordan Mutch made it 3-0 in the 29th minute, when he won the ball on the half-way line and ran unchallenged towards goal before delightfully chipping the ball over the oncoming SuperSport goalkeeper. Palace were running the Supersport defence ragged and the 3 time PSL champions looked totally out of their depth. Frazier Campbell then rubbed further salt in the SuperSport wounds, when he scored Palace’s fourth goal after latching onto a Puncheon cross.

Matsatsantsa couldn’t muster up any meaningful chances on goal in the first half and they went into the half time break, 4-0 down.

The second half was a much tighter affair with both sides making a host of changes with new Palace acquisition Patrick Bamford, getting a run. SuperSport were more competitive and managed to get their first shot on goal in the 52nd minute, when Jeremy Brockie fired in a shot which tested Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey. Palace looked a bit disjointed after making a number of changes but started to settle again. New signing Cabaye was brought on in the 59th minute and immediately made his presence felt by testing Ronwin Williams with a long range effort. Bamford was played through on goal in the 64th minute but his shot was saved by Williams.

It was a much better showing from SuperSport in the 2nd half but the damage had already been done by Palace in the first half. Crystal Palace were convincing 4-0 winners and will meet either Ajax Cape Town or Sporting Lisbon in the final on Sunday.


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