Eyes down for another tilt at glory The World Cup has barely ended but for most of football fans, the attention now turns to the real business - the return of the domestic programme. Saturday sees the start of the campaign with the Carabao Cup taking up the mantle as season curtain-raiser a week ahead of a full EFL programme in the Championship and Leagues One and two. The Premier League's stars gets a extra week on the beach before they get going the following weekend (Augus

Hayes Lane workout. A sunny Saturday friendly saw Bromley get the better of Premier League Palace Picture by Patrick van Ijzendoorn Friendly Bromley (0) 3 Abeboyejo 62, 73 (p), Kabamba 86 Crystal Palace (0) 0 League One-newcomers Bromley have started their season with a flattering 3-0 victory in a friendly against Conference League-winners Crystal Palace. It was a disappointing first proper public showing for the new Eagles-boss Pierre Sage who saw his side missing at least

Spain celebrate after winning the World Cup for a second time: Picture from Wikimedia Commons/The White House Has there ever been a more universally welcome outcome in a World Cup final? Has a result ever felt more just? We all feared the worst when referee Slavko Vincic failed to yellow card Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister early on for a typically savage challenge on Dani Olmo, and it looked like the gruesome Argentinians were going to get carte blanche to go about their sor

Photo by Alessandro Schiavone By Alessandro Schiavone While Spain reached the final of the FIFA World Cup courtesy of a convincing 2-0 win over France in Dallas yesterday, one particular detail may have been lost on Tottenham Hotspur fans: Pedro Porro's strike pulled their club level with Chelsea on three goals in World Cup semifinals. Up until yesterday’s clash between the neighbouring countries, the Blues were 3-2 ahead in these London charts thanks to Oscar (1) and Schurrl

Mikel Merino in the red of the national team : Picture from Wikimedia Commons The World cup's final chapters are about to be written - with London players still very much involved in the chase for sporting immortality. The tension that is about to grip the nation on Wednesday as England take on Argentina in Atlanta will be underscored by the subtext of a north London confrontation between Tottenham's Crstian Romero and soon-to-be club team-mate Marcos Senesi for the world cha

Scene before kick-off at the Red Bull Arena UEFA Conference League Final Crystal Palace (0) 1 Mateta 51 Rayo Vallecano (0) 0 The Eagles concluded a stunning year and a half of high-octane drama and emotion with a first piece of European silverware to sit alongside their first ever domestic trophies - ensuring a fitting send-off for the man who oversaw it all. To Jean-Philippe Mateta goes the honour of scoring the all important history making goal that means the Eagles become

Campeones....the Arsenal bus receiving a rapturous welcome from away fans at Selhurst: Picture by @YTJourno Premier League Crystal Palace (0) 1 Mateta 89 Arsenal (1) 2 Jesus 42, Madueke 48 Arsenal closed out their champagne league season with another win, but his was never going to be a hugely significant afternoon on the pitch - it was all about celebratory vibes and send-offs. Two teams heading to central Europe for finals - the Eagles in Leipzig to play Rayo Vallecano, Ars

Last match at the Gtech : Picture by @YTJourno Premier League Brentford (1) 2 Ouatarra 40, 88 Crystal Palace (1) 2 Sarr pen 6, Wharton 52 Adam Wharton bagged his first goal for the Eagles, but a double from Dango Ouatarra rescued a point for Brentford's European ambitions. The Eagles confounded expectations by showing a greater energy and desire than the hosts for most of the game - that in spite of the fact the Bees theoretically had the added motivation of needing points i

By Alessandro Schiavone in Strasbourg Conference League semifinal second-leg Strasbourg 0-1 Rayo Vallecano (0-2 on aggregate) Goal: Alemão 42' Crystal Palace can breathe a sigh of relief as they avoided a reunion with Strasbourg in the final of the UEFA Conference League with Madrid minnows Rayo Vallecano now awaiting them in Leipzig. The Spaniards got the job done at La Meinau, where the Eagles lost 2-1 in the group stages nearly six months ago. It was only 1-0 but it could

On our way : Selhurst the last stop on the journey to Leipzig : Picture by @YTJourno UEFA Conference League semi-final second leg Crystal Palace (1) 2 Pedro Henrique og 25, Sarr 52 Shakhtar Donetsk (1) 1 Eguinaldo 34 Aggregate: 5-2 The Eagles have landed. There were a few nervy moments but nothing too dramatic to disturb their peace of mind, having gone into this semi-final second leg with a two goal lead. They are off to Germany for a final against Rayo Vallecano on May 27 -