Crystal Palace recover from Lens defeat with shootout win

Crystal Palace ended a mixed opening evening at the Como Cup by beating FC Famalicão on penalties after suffering a 3-0 defeat against RC Lens. Remi Matthews saved the decisive spot-kick following a goalless second match in Italy.

Pierre Sage used two different line-ups across the consecutive 45-minute fixtures at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium. The format had been outlined in ReadCrystalPalace’s match preview, published before Tuesday’s matches.

The second game in Como finishes goalless.

We head to penalties ✅ pic.twitter.com/tbo7btrrhg

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) July 28, 2026

Crystal Palace Como Cup results provide mixed Sage assessment

Former Palace striker Odsonne Édouard scored twice as Lens took control of the opening match. Florian Thauvin created the first before Édouard converted Abdulhamid’s cross with a first-time volley.

Andrija Bulatović added the third with a curling effort from outside the penalty area. Lens scored all three goals inside the opening 23 minutes.

Palace still created several good opportunities. Eddie Nketiah released Brennan Johnson after turning away from his marker, but the winger’s shot was pushed over by Hervé Koffi.

Charlie Walker-Smith then headed wide from the resulting corner. Nketiah also saw a promising opening stopped by an important Ismaëlo Ganiou challenge.

Sage made wholesale changes for the second fixture, with Matheus França and David Ozoh among those introduced. França had a goal disallowed before being denied in a one-on-one by the Famalicão goalkeeper.

Neither side found a breakthrough, sending the contest to penalties under the tournament rules. França, Justin Devenny, Rio Cardines, Mofe Jemide and Romain Esse all converted for Palace.

Matthews then saved Famalicão’s fifth penalty low to his right, securing the additional group point. The official Palace Como Cup guide confirms that drawn group matches are decided by a shootout.

The first match exposed problems with Palace’s defensive organisation, but the younger side produced a more controlled display against Famalicão. Sage’s team will play their final tournament match on Friday, with the opponent determined by the outcome of Group B.