Stateside Cup: Wolves 1 Crystal Palace 3

Jordan Ayew’s neat finish early in the second half then put Palace firmly in control.

But Wolves made it a nervy finish when Santi Bueno scored a late goal and came close to a second.

With one final counter-attack, Asher Agbinone found the back of the net to secure the win.

Analysis

Only Dan Bentley and Luke Cundle kept their place from the team that beat West Ham at the weekend, as Gary O’Neil handed minutes to all of his squad in pre-season.

However, Jose Sa, Nelson Semedo, Joao Gomes and Pedro Neto were not involved at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, having only returned to training on Monday.

Wolves had a massive chance in the opening minutes when Goncalo Guedes delivered an excellent cross from the right and found Rodrigo Gomes at the back post, but he shot straight at Dean Henderson from close range.

Wolves had made a good start to the game, finding space out wide and creating opportunities, but the next chance fell to Palace as Daichi Kamada was played through on goal and smashed his shot against the post.

But the Guedes and Gomes combination was causing more problems, as Guedes again raced down the right and crossed low for Gomes at the back post, who was so close to reaching it on the stretch.

At the other end, Schlupp took a shot on the turn inside the box but fired over the bar.

Pedro Lima had the ball in the back of the net after reacting to a parried Jean-Ricner Bellegarde shot, but he was flagged offside, and Palace then went on to open the scoring shortly after.

Bentley came out of his box to clear a loose ball but found a Palace shirt, giving Schlupp the easy task of lifting the ball into the empty net from more than 30 yards.

Wolves looked to react quickly and Tommy Doyle came close with a strong shot from the edge of the box that was turned around the post.

Moments later, Craig Dawson went down in the box and was calling for a penalty, but nothing was given.

On the stroke of half-time, Lima finished off a Hugo Bueno cross following a good passing move, but once again was flagged offside as Wolves entered the break losing 1-0.

Once the game started again, it took Palace just five minutes to double their lead.

A long kick from goalkeeper Henderson found Ayew, who took a superb touch before firing the ball through Tom King’s legs.

Wolves made changes to find a way back into the game, but the next chance fell to Palace’s Caleb Kporha, who hit the side netting with his effort.

By the drinks break in the 70th minute, there was very little happening in the game as both teams went through the pre-season motions.

Chiquinho almost set up Jorgen Strand Larsen for a chance, but his10-yard pass was poor when the striker would have been in.

Pablo Sarabia was then set up for a shot on the edge of the box but blazed it over the bar.

Chiquinho came close with a sharp effort that flashed past the post before Hwang Hee-chan hit the side netting with a deflected effort.

In the 90th minute Wolves finally found their goal after a set piece broke down and Larsen smarty flicked the ball for S.Bueno to finish from close range.

S.Bueno almost got an equaliser shortly after, before Agbinone finished off a counter-attack for Palace to earn a 3-1 win.

Key Moments

GOAL 35 Schlupp puts Palace into the lead

GOAL 50 Ayew doubles Palace’s advantage

GOAL 90 S.Bueno gets a goal back for Wolves

GOAL 98 Agbinone rounds off Palace’s win

Teams

Wolves: Bentley (King, 45), Lima (Doherty, 85), Dawson (Toti, 74), S.Bueno, H.Bueno, Doyle (Lemina, 74), Cundle, Bellegarde (Sarabia, 63), Chirewa (Larsen, 74), R.Gomes (Chiquinho, 45), Guedes (Hwang, 63).

Subs not used: Benjamin, Ait-Nouri, Mosquera, Rawlings, Fraser.

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Clyne (Kporha, 45), Richards (Ward, 45), Andersen (Holding, 45), Riad (Jemide, 45), Mitchell (Umeh, 45), Wharton (Devenny, 45), Hughes (Rodney, 45), Kamada (Ahamada, 45), Edouard (Ayew, 45), Schlupp (Mathurin, 45, Agbinone, 81).

Subs not used: Johnstone, Matthews.