It was a fiery knockout fixture, with both sides battling for a place in the Premier League 2 semi-finals.

Despite a bright start from Chelsea, Crystal Palace took the lead against the run of play through Hindolo Mustapha’s strike from distance. The hosts then doubled their advantage before half-time with a finish from a tight angle during a penalty box scramble by Rio Cardines.

Palace continued their clinical form after the break. Mustapha added a second before Ademola Ola-Adebomi made it 4-0. In the closing stages, Ola-Adebomi scored again, before a stoppage time goal by Zach Marsh completed the scoring, with our play-off journey at an end.

Lively start

Chelsea began brightly and carved out the first real chance of the match when striker Donnell McNeilly was brought down just outside the penalty area as he made a determined run toward goal. Attacking midfielder Kiano Dyer stepped up to take the resulting free-kick, curling a fierce effort just past the post, giving Crystal Palace an early let-off.

The pressure began to build as the Blues pushed for an opener with momentum on our side. Genesis Antwi, operating on the wing, caused problems with his dangerous runs into the box. Captain Harrison McMahon was quick to test the opposition with a powerful low drive that was somehow blocked by a Palace defender. It was a strong statement of intent from the Blues.

However, despite Chelsea’s dominance in the opening stages, it was the home side who struck first, and it came out of nowhere. Mustapha picked up the ball in midfield and unleashed a clean strike from outside the area that flew past Ted Curd and into the net. Against the run of play, Palace had taken the lead with their first real attempt.

Pushing back

We responded with determination. Antwi continued to impress with his blistering pace on the flank and cut the ball back for McNeilly, whose venomous low strike was well saved by Palace keeper Louis Moulden.

Still pushing forward, Chelsea created another opening when Antwi linked up with Brodi Hughes down the right. The defender floated a well-measured cross into the area where McNeilly rose to meet it with a thumping header, only to see the ball narrowly clear the crossbar.

As the clock passed the 20-minute mark, the chances kept coming from our dangerous right flank, this time Stutter slicing his volley from Antwi's cross, the effort bouncing over the bar. The attempts were building and an equaliser felt within reach at that point in the game.

Filipe Coelho's team continued to apply pressure, but credit was due to Palace for defending resolutely. Just after the half-hour mark, we came closest yet to finding the net. McMahon unleashed a beautiful curling strike from distance, forcing a strong save from Moulden, who managed to tip the ball away. It was another near miss as our frustration started to grow.

Palace strike again

Despite our dominance and continued threat, the Eagles found a second goal before the break. Capitalising on a swift counter-attack, Cardines fired in a powerful shot from close range which found the roof of the net, giving the hosts a 2-0 lead at half-time and leaving Chelsea with work to do in the next 45 minutes.

The second half resumed just as the first began - with intensity and aggression. Crystal Palace had the first real opportunity after the restart when Franco Umeh-Chibueze made a quick dribble upfield and unleashed a powerful strike. To Chelsea’s relief, the shot came back off the post.

The action then swung quickly to the other end, as we responded with a promising chance of our own. Dyer delivered a looping corner into the box where defender Harrison Murray-Campbell found the ball at his feet. He struck it firmly but saw his effort rise over the crossbar.

Out of reach

Palace extended their lead when Mustapha struck for the second time on the night. Picking up the ball near the edge of the area, he fired a powerful shot that found its way into the bottom corner, deepening Chelsea’s deficit. The home side, fuelled by momentum, struck again for their fourth. This time it was Ola-Adebomi who drove into the box and slotted the ball into the bottom corner, beyond the reach of the Chelsea goalkeeper Ted Curd.

Looking to shift the momentum, Coelho turned to his bench and introduced Ryan Kavuma-McQueen. The winger made an immediate impact, firing a low shot at goal that looked destined to find the net after good work by another substitute Ato Ampah. However, an Eagles defender tracked back just in time to clear off the line.

Chelsea kept pressing late into the game. Midfielder Samuel Rak-Sakyi linked up well with Shumaira Mheuka, exchanging a quick one-two. Mheuka received the return pass and drilled a low shot from close range, but Moulden stayed alert and produced a strong save.

Despite Chelsea’s efforts, another heartbreaking moment followed. Curd did well initially to parry a strike from Mustapha, but Ola-Adebomi reacted quickest to the rebound and slotted the ball into the net. As the match moved into its final moments, Marsh got another for the home side with a low strike, as Chelsea Under-21s' 2024/25 season came to a tough end.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Ted Curd; Brodi Hughes (Ryan Kavuma-McQueen 64), Harrison Murray-Campbell, Landon Emenalo, Ishe Samuels-Smith (Richard Olise 90+2); Harrison McMahon (c), Samuel Rak-Sakyi; Genesis Antwi (Ato Ampah 58), Kiano Dyer, Ronnie Stutter (Shumaira Mheuka h-t); Donnell McNeilly
Unused sub: Max Merrick
Booked: Murray-Campbell 63, Kavuma-McQueen 88

Crystal Palace (3-4-3): Louis Moulden, Caleb Kporha (Jake Grante 87), Mofe Jemide, George King, Luke Browne (c), Joseph Gibbard (Zach Marsh 84), Rio Cardines, Kaden Rodney, Ademola Ola-Adebomi (Joel Drakes-Thomas 84), Hindolo Mustapha (Sebastian Williams 84), Franco Umeh-Chibueze (Dylan Reid 71)
Scorers: Mustapha 9, 59, Cardines 41, Ola-Adebomi 63, 83, Marsh 90+5
Booked: Gibbard 3, Moulden 89