September 8 2026

Palace 3-0 Boro

Crystal Palace advanced to the fourth round of the EFL Cup after defeating Championship side Middlesbrough 3-0 at Selhurst Park.

Jorgen Strand Larsen scored a header in each half before Daichi Kamada completed the victory with an excellent finish from outside the penalty area.

Palace head coach Pierre Sage made eight changes to the team that beat Fulham 3-2 three days earlier. Honest Ahanor made his debut, while fellow summer signings Oscar Mingueza and Dario Osorio were handed their first starts.

Mingueza created the opening goal in the 37th minute, cutting back on to his left foot and delivering an inviting cross from the right. Strand Larsen escaped his marker and directed a close-range header beyond Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn.

Ben Chilwell, Palace’s match-winner at Craven Cottage, supplied the second eight minutes after the restart. His cross from the left found Strand Larsen, who headed across Brynn and into the top corner.

Kamada completed the scoring in the 72nd minute, 13 minutes after replacing Osorio. Strand Larsen released the midfielder with a clever reverse pass before Kamada chipped Brynn from a tight angle outside the penalty area.

Middlesbrough enjoyed more possession and registered 16 attempts, but Palace defended resolutely and goalkeeper Walter Benitez preserved the clean sheet as Sage’s side progressed comfortably.

Palace: Benitez, Tomiyasu, Disasi (Lerma 73), Ahanor, Mingueza, Timber (Wharton 59), Hughes, Chilwell, Pino (McNeil 73), Osorio (Kamada 59), Strand Larsen (Gozo 73).

Not used: Matthews, Mitchell, Khalaili, Guessand.

Middlesbrough: Brynn, Brittain, Ayling, Jones, Malanda, Byram (Borges 46), Malanda (Phillips 77), Morris (Pukstas 84), Cozier-Duberry, Peart-Harris, Conway, Strelec (Lankshear 67).

Not used: Vitek, Arfsten, Barron, Berhalter.