Palace cruise past Toulouse as Benteke impresses

Crystal Palace 4 Toulouse 1

By Sam Smith

Crystal Palace culminated their pre-season campaign with a 4-1 win against Ligue 1 side to ensure they go into the campaign proper unbeaten five months.

The Eagles fell behind early on but were dominant thereafter, with goals from Christian Benteke, Jeffrey Schlupp, Luka Milivojevic and Wilfried Zaha ensuring Palace head into next weekend’s Premier League opener against Fulham with momentum following their unbeaten preparations for the new

Toulouse were the better side in the opening stages. Former Leeds United man Max Gradel cut inside and fired a shot inches wide of Vicente Guaita’s goal before the Spanish goalkeeper – starting for just the second time in pre-season – was forced into the good

But the French side were ahead inside 10 minutes when Aaron Leya Iseka pounced onto a poor Guaita parry and slid the ball into an empty

The Eagles improved soon after though and felt they should have been level when James Tomkins tapped home after Zaha’s effort slammed into the post – but the centre-back was denied by the assistant referee’s

And Palace’s resurgence was soon rewarded when two quickfire goals had them ahead before 33 minutes. First Benteke rose to meet a floated Milivojevic cross to head in, before Schlupp advanced beyond the Toulouse back four to slot into the bottom

Roy Hodgson’s side were excellent. The fluid front three of Zaha, Benteke and Andros Townsend were happy to exchange passes and move around each other – and the latter won a penalty slightly prior to half-time which Milivojevic confidently dispatched past Baptiste

Palace almost had a fourth shortly after half-time when the impressive Benteke met another Milivojevic corner but headed just over, before Zaha should have scored but dragged a left-footed effort wide.

Toulouse goalkeeper Reynet was then forced into a good save when Townsend cut inside and curled a shot towards the bottom corner, but the Frenchman sprawled across his goal to tip the ball wide.

Zaha eventually added a fourth for the Eagles with 10 minutes to go. The in-demand winger – who should have scored a couple more – fired beyond Reynet after receiving the ball in the penalty area.

The result means the Eagles go into next week’s game at the Cottage unbeaten in all first team fixtures since March 10 – a remarkable feat for Hodgson’s side a year after records were broken for completely contrasting reasons.