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April 20 2024 3.51am

Palace held by Whitecaps

July 20 2016

Fraizer Campbell

Fraizer Campbell

Crystal Palace ended their North American tour with a 2-2 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps.

The game sprang into life in the second half with Fraizer Campbell on target for the Eagles – and Vancouver almost snatched victory at the end.

Manager Alan Pardew opted to play Damien Delaney, Scott Dann and Martin Kelly in a back three, with Zeki Fryers at left wingback and Jordon Mutch on the opposite side.

Jason Puncheon, Chung-Yong Lee and Mile Jedinak took the midfield places, while Andros Townsend was positioned just behind Freddie Ladapo up top.

The English side had the better of the opening period at the BC Stadium in Vancouver. Lee warmed the palms of home keeper Paolo Tornaghi with a long-ranger.

Townsend and Fryers had efforts off target, before Tornaghi beat away Puncheon's shot after the home defence failed to clear a short corner.

Delaney diverted a pin-point cross from Townsend over the upright as the half ended goalless.

Hiram Boateng and Campbell came on for Jedinak and Ladapo at the restart. And somewhat against the run of play, Vancouver went in front on 50 minutes after David Edgar headed in Christian Techera's cross.

Townsend fired off target before Boateng brought a good save out of Tornaghi who pushed his strike over.

Pardew made further changes on the hour mark as Yannick Bolasie and Connor Wickham replaced Fryers and Lee.

Just over two minutes later, the Eagles levelled matters through Campbell who diverted home Townsend's cross.

Palace took the lead for the first time in the 65th minute with another Campbell effort from fellow sub Wickham's pass.

The goal seemed to spur the Whitecaps into action as they responded brilliantly. Delaney had to make a goal-saving block before Marco Bustos went close and Speroni pulled two fine saves out of the locker to keep Palace in it.

And the Canadian club got a goal their pressure deserved in the 77th minute with a Kendall Watson close-range header.

Speroni denied Kyle Grieg a winner with a fine reaction save with his legs with nine minutes remaining as the game ended all square in front of a crowd of 14,788.

Vancouver: Tornaghi (Carducci 46), Edgar (Watson 61), Kah (de Wit 61), Seller (Parker 61), De Jong (Levis 61), Jacobson (Froese 32, Haber 79), Aird (Bolonos 61), Techera (Davies 61), Mezequida (Bustos 32, Greig 79), McKendry (Laba 61), Hurtado (Kudo 61).

Palace: Speroni, Kelly, Delaney (Croll 75), Dann, Mutch, Jedinak (Boateng 46), Puncheon (Kaikai 83), Lee (Bolasie 60), Fryers (Wickham 60), Townsend (Berkeley-Agyepong 83), Ladapo (Campbell 46).

Not used: Perntreou.

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