Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage credited his side’s determination after Daichi Kamada’s late equaliser secured a 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim, although he felt the result could have been different if Palace had scored earlier. He also acknowledged that Dean Henderson’s saves were crucial in keeping the Eagles in the match.
Sage said Palace continued to fight until the final whistle and believed they even had a late opportunity to win. Adam Wharton’s dismissal made the task more difficult, with Palace suffering immediately after the red card before reorganising with a back four.
The Palace boss also expressed concern about the number of yellow cards received. He said the team needed to manage matches better from the outset so it would not be forced into taking as many risks, stressing the importance of having the full squad available across all competitions.
Kamada, who scored Palace’s equaliser, admitted that his finish involved some luck and said the team was not satisfied with the draw. The goal was his fourth in his last 12 appearances for the Eagles, taking him one ahead of his total from his first 92 games for the club.
Looking ahead to Liverpool at the weekend, Kamada warned that Palace would concede heavily and lose if they defended in the same way. He called for improvement in every area, particularly Palace’s concentration and defensive work.
Sage expects Axel Disasi to be available for the Liverpool fixture. He said Palace’s immediate priorities were recovery and preparing for a difficult game against a Liverpool side he expects to arrive with considerable motivation after losing their previous two matches.
