Crystal Palace vs. West Ham United Pre-season Friendly Match Report: View

On what transpired to be the second meeting of the day between the two clubs, Crystal Palace secured the Stateside Cup as West Ham slipped to a second 3-1 reversal.

Concerns over potential adverse weather conditions in Florida persuaded both West Ham and Palace to arrange a last-minute meeting earlier in the day, in which a 60-minute match was won by the Hammers through goals from Jarrod Bowen, Danny Ings and Maxwel Cornet.

Yet with those concerns proving to be unfounded, the previously-arranged fixture went ahead regardless – with West Ham missing all their goalscorers from earlier in the day plus key players such as Lucas Paqueta and club captain Kurt Zouma.

It took Oliver Glasner’s side just 26 SECONDS to stun Hammers fans among the skinny crowd inside the Raymond James Stadium when Tyrick Mitchell took advantage of a Vladimir Coufal error and fire the Eagles in front. When the Hammers eventually began to find some composure, Michail Antonio might’ve forced a VAR review when he was sent tumbling inside the Palace penalty area by Joachim Andersen.

To the number nine’s obvious frustration, both the referee and his assistant remained unmoved and unimpressed by his protestations.

A visibly knocked Palace could barely put a foot on the ball for five minutes after Antonio’s leveller, but against the run of play Edouard’s goal-bound effort was expertly intercepted by Mavropanos. The first half, half time break – which took place at the 28 minute mark -coincided with the heavens opening above the stadium and sending fans running for cover.

An Anderson header was well dealt with by Fabianski, before Kudus countered for West Ham and struck a low effort narrowly wide. The resulting corner eventually fell to Coufal, lurking on the edge of the box – and the best you could say about the shot which followed is that the full-back’s personal goalscoring account as a Hammer remains unopened.

In the 34th minute Coufal atoned for his err somewhat by crashing a shot (ok, mishit cross) off the crossbar from an acute angle, although Emerson failed to profit from the rebound when he looed odds-on to score. At the other end Kilman gave Hammers fans a glimpse of why Lopetegui has placed so much faith in him with a superb dispossessing tackle, just eight yards from United’s goal.

With half time rapidly approaching an unmarked Jordan Ayew should’ve added a second for Palace with what proved to be the final chance of the opening 45 minutes, as Klein’s deep cross left him with a fairly simple finish; fortunately for West Ham, a relived Fabianski watched his side-footed volley land well wide of his far post.

With Aguerd replacing Freddie Potts being the only West Ham half-time change, a defensively top-heavy Hammers struggled to make inroads into the Palace half and it was no surprise that Palace provided the first test when Riad brought down a cross into the box that Kilman again managed to intercept before a shot came in. The next effort, another wide of the target stemmed from am Aguerd mistake.

A brilliant counter-attack started by Michail Antonio saw James Ward-Prowse denied a clear shot at goal by Mitchell as he was poised to pull the trigger. Palace responded with a cross-cum-shot from Kamada that flashed across Fabianski’s goal.

Callum Marshall and recent signing Luis Guilherme replaced Antonio and Cresswell in the 63rd minute. Minutes later Palace restored their lead when Ayew’s floated centre was steered over Fabianski’s head by xxx. After a brief drinks break the match restored – and West Ham hadn’t even escaped their own half before the Eagles added a third through Odsonne Edouard, who sold the club’s record defensive signing Kilman a dummy before slipping the ball between Fabianski’s legs.

Earthy, Kodua and Irving – whose arrival at West Ham remains unannounced by the club – earned match minutes when replacing Czech mates Soucek and Coufal and Emerson with ten to play. Schlupp was denied a fourth for Palace by Fabianski’s outstretched hand and Hughes’ resulting corner was nodded over by goalscorer Riad, first to meet the delivery.

Brazilian youngster Guilherme gave an indication of what he could eventually bring to the table as he broke with pace before firing across goal and narrowly wide of the target, with West Ham’s first effort since Antonio’s inventive break.

And that proved to be the final attempt of the evening as the Hammers completed what had proved to be a disappointing tour – in terms of weather, a lack of public interest as witnessed by the near empty stadia and results – with another disappointing performance.

West Ham’s final Stateside Cup record reads played two, lost two. Goals scored two, with six conceded.