MATCH SUMMARY
What happened
Crystal Palace booked their place in the EFL Cup fourth round with a convincing 3-0 win over Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park, with Jörgen Strand Larsen providing the decisive edge. The forward scored twice before half-time and then turned provider for Daichi Kamada, giving Palace a comfortable platform to see out the tie.
Palace broke the deadlock in the 37th minute. Oscar Mingueza supplied the assist for Strand Larsen, whose finish gave the hosts the lead after a first half in which Palace controlled the ball and territory. Middlesbrough had more to do after conceding and made a change at the interval, with Neto Borges replacing Sam Byram.
The second goal arrived eight minutes into the second half. Strand Larsen struck again, this time with Ben Chilwell credited with the assist, to put Palace firmly in command. The result was not entirely built on shot volume: Middlesbrough attempted more efforts overall, but Palace were markedly more clinical with the opportunities they created.
Kamada added the third in the 72nd minute, converting after Strand Larsen had set him up. Palace then made a triple change, withdrawing Strand Larsen, Yeremy Pino and Axel Disasi for Zavier Gozo, Dwight McNeil and Jefferson Lerma. Those changes protected the advantage and gave the hosts a controlled finish to an already productive cup evening.
The clean sheet completed a strong result, although Middlesbrough did force Palace goalkeeper W. Benítez into four saves. Palace’s reward is progression to the next stage, with Strand Larsen’s two goals and assist forming the central story of a professional home performance.
KEY MOMENTS
The turning points
37 minutes: Oscar Mingueza assisted Jörgen Strand Larsen for the opening goal.
53 minutes: Strand Larsen doubled Palace’s lead, with Ben Chilwell providing the assist.
72 minutes: Daichi Kamada made it 3-0 after Strand Larsen turned provider.
73 minutes: Palace replaced Strand Larsen, Yeremy Pino and Axel Disasi as they managed the closing stages.
TACTICAL RADAR
How the game was won
Palace started in a 4-2-3-1 and enjoyed 63% possession, completing 341 of 413 passes. That control helped them dictate the overall shape of the match, even though Middlesbrough recorded 600 passes and 539 accurate passes while chasing the contest.
The key difference was Palace’s efficiency. The hosts registered eight shots, with five on target, and converted three of those efforts. Their attempts were evenly split between inside and outside the box, while Middlesbrough managed 16 shots, including nine from inside the area. Palace therefore had to defend more attempts than the scoreline might suggest, but restricted the visitors to four efforts on target and kept them scoreless.
Palace also had only one corner compared with Middlesbrough’s six, underlining that this was not a victory based on sustained set-piece pressure. Instead, the three-goal margin came from making their attacking moments count and protecting the lead once Kamada’s goal removed much of the contest’s uncertainty.
STANDOUT PLAYERS
Who impressed
Jörgen Strand Larsen was the clear match-winner for Palace, scoring in the 37th and 53rd minutes before assisting Daichi Kamada for the third. His direct contribution to all three goals made him the decisive figure in the tie.
Daichi Kamada finished the move for Palace’s third goal after coming on in the 59th minute. Oscar Mingueza and Ben Chilwell also made important attacking contributions by supplying the assists for the first two goals.
W. Benítez’s four saves were significant in securing the clean sheet, particularly with Middlesbrough finishing the match with 16 attempts.
Crystal Palace
Middlesbrough
