Crystal Palace 2-1 Stoke City: Riedewald scores late winner to send hosts through to quarter-finals

A handful of Crystal Palace supporters started to make their way towards the concourses of Selhurst Park before this fifth-round tie had barely begun. 

As persistent rain fell over south London, a gutter burst and a small waterfall formed atop the Main Stand. Very soon, a small pocket of seats were completely sodden.

Unfortunately the floodgates held firm rather longer. And so everyone here – including those who had run for cover – had to sit through nearly 50 more minutes of stodgy – no, dreadful – FA Cup action.

Mercifully, however, this game did catch fire. Eventually. In five frantic minutes after half-time, it swung one way and back again – Palace went in front through Cheikhou Kouyate before Championship visitors Stoke pegged them back through Josh Tymon’s low finish. 

That is how it stayed, despite chances at both ends, until substitute Jairo Riedewald netted with eight minutes left to secure Palace a third quarter-final since 2016.

They made the final that year and last night, as the rest of Selhurst Park made for the aisles, another rendition of their new favourite chant went up. Super Pat Vieira, on the way to Wembley, and the rest.

The Palace boss won this trophy five times as a player and his side remain in the hat. Just about.

So there was no fairytale for Stoke forward D’Margio Wright-Phillips. The 20-year-old grandson of Palace legend Ian Wright, whose career took off here nearly four decades ago, had to watch from the bench as his side’s Wembley dreams were dashed. At least he had cover overhead.

‘It’s a really exciting moment, but it’s still one step before Wembley,’ Vieira said. 

‘We are pleased and happy to go to the next round but I’m really disappointed with the way we played…if we want to go further we will have to be better.’ 

Too right.

Stoke arrived here without a win in four matches. They had suffered consecutive Championship defeats. And yet before long, they arguably looked the more creative, threatening side. That’s not saying much, mind. Nothing, from either side, flowed like the water in the Selhurst Park drains.

Palace were particularly disjointed. No wonder Vieira grew increasingly agitated as he ventured further into the mud outside his technical area.

The Palace boss handed a first start to 18-year-old left back Tayo Adaramola – however many minutes he eventually plays for Palace, few will be as dull as these opening 45.

There was only the odd flash of life – 10 minutes before half-time, Michael Olise fell on the edge of the area after Taylor Harwood-Bellis dangled out a stray leg. 

Alas referee Robert Jones – and his video assistant – said no penalty and replays suggested the defender had indeed pulled his leg away. Beyond that? Very little. Can you blame those few Palace fans who booed at half-time?

Thankfully the action did improve. Inside five minutes of the second half, both sides had squandered half-openings. Inside 15 minutes, both had scored.

Palace’s opener came from a short corner – Olise found Wilfried Zaha, who picked out Jean-Philippe Mateta. His shot was deflected into the path of Kouyate a few yards out.

Michael O’Neill later insisted it should never have been a corner. But his side responded brilliantly, Tymon finishing from Romaine Sawyers’ cross.

Both sides then had chances to win it. Stoke’s Liam Moore saw a lob headed off the line by Joachim Andersen. 

At the other end, Will Hughes shot wide before another short corner was not dealt with and Riedewald fired home. ‘I thought the result was harsh on us, the nature of the goals was harsh on us,’ O’Neill said. ‘I felt we looked the team more likely to win the game.’