Oxford 0-2 Palace: Second-half goals sees Eagles glide past Oxford

Oxford 0-2 Crystal Palace: Second-half goals from Odsonne Edouard and Luka Milivojevic sees Patrick Vieira’s Eagles past League One side in Carabao Cup

  • Odsonne Édouard opened the scoring for Crystal Palace in the 71st minute
  •  Luka Milivojević converts late penalty to make sure of result against Oxford
  • Palace had found it difficult to break down League One side during first-half
  • Patrick Vieira’s side will find out third round opponents tomorrow night 

Patrick Vieira won three Premier League titles and five FA Cups as a player, but the EFL Cup is an omission from his glittering CV.

Maybe he can put that right as manager of Crystal Palace. This slender win over League One Oxford United was their first win in this competition since 2018 and represents a start at least.

Odsonne Edouard picked a pretty good time to score his first goal since January having squandered two earlier chances.

Odsonne Édouard scored against Oxford with his first goal of the season for Crystal Palace

Edouard celebrates his goal for Palace against Oxford in the Carabao Cup second round

Crystal Palace’s players were made to work hard for their win against Oxford United

The French striker raced through onto Jeffrey Schlupp’s perfect through pass and placed his shot neatly into the bottom corner.

A much-rotated Palace had been far below their best and it took Vieira’s introduction of Schlupp from the bench in the second-half to unlock the hosts.

The Premier League side finally put opponents currently 19th in the third tier to bed when Luka Milivojevic thumped home a late penalty after Jordan Ayew was fouled by James Golding.

Luka Milivojevic sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to make sure of the win

The goal from Luka Milivojevic made sure that Crystal Palace would be in the third round

Oxford United (4-1-3-2): McGinty; Golding, Mousinho (c) (Goodrham 77), Brown, Seddon; Long; Bate (Spasov 70), Johnson (Smyth 63), Brannagan; O’Donkor (Taylor 63), Bodin (Joseph 63)

Substitutes not used: Eastwood (GK); Findlay, Jones, Sade

Manager: Karl Robinson

Booked: McGinty, Bate, Johnson, Brannagan

Crystal Palace (3-1-4–2): Johnstone; Clyne, Guehi, Richards; Milivojevic (c); Olise (Ebiowei 76), Phillips (Schlupp 51), Hughes, Rodney (Mitchell 65); Edouard (Ayew 76), Mateta (Eze 65)

Substitutes not used: Guaita (GK); Doucoure, Wells-Morrison, Boateng

Manager: Patrick Vieira

Scorers: Edouard 71; Milivojevic pen 90

Booked: Mateta, Milivojevic

Referee: Peter Bankes (Lancashire)

Attendance: 9,564 (1,352 away)

 

 Vieira said pre-match he intended to take it seriously this time around after recent runs in this competition had ended before they’re really begun.

Even though he made nine changes from the team that beat Aston Villa 3-1 at the weekend, there were still plenty of recognisable names on the teamsheet. Talisman Wilfried Zaha was given a night off, however.

Oxford have made a low-key start to their League One campaign, winning only once in five matches, but they have established something of a reputation for making life difficult for higher level visitors.

In the 2019-20 season, they knocked out West Ham and Sunderland before Manchester City ended their Wembley dreams at the quarter-final stage.

They’d taken the scalp of Championship Swansea in the first round, prevailing on penalties after Cameron Brannagan had forced a shoot-out with a last-gasp equaliser.  

And they were more than a match for their Premier League guests in the first-half here, leaving the pitch at the break to a deserved standing ovation.

They carved out the game’s first opening on four minutes when Lewis Bate dragged his shot wide, before Gatlin O’Donkor headed wide in a decent position following Steve Seddon’s cross.

Just before the interval, Brannagan skipped into a clear shooting position on the edge of the box and forced Palace keeper Sam Johnstone into a parry.

Meanwhile, Palace threatened rarely. They had plenty of pace in their side, with Michael Olise and Nathaniel Clyne getting forward when they could.

Palace boss Patrick Vieira (left) met Oxford manager Karl Robinson (right) before the game

Sam Johnstone made his competitive debut for Crystal Palace against Oxford in the match

Meanwhile, Palace threatened rarely. They had plenty of pace in their side, with Michael Olise and Nathaniel Clyne getting forward when they could.

But their only real first-half opportunity came when Odsonne Edouard nodded off target from Clyne’s cross just after the half-hour.

Palace were much improved after the break and dominated possession while finding Oxford’s defence stubborn.

Edouard headed another chance wide, this time from a tempting Michael Olise free-kick from the left. At the third time of asking, the Frenchman did get it right and Milivojevic sealed it late on.

Crystal Palace will find out their third round opponents tomorrow night when the draw is made




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