Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace: Andersen goal cancels out Schade strike

Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace: Joachim Andersen’s slide-tackle finish cancels out stunning first Bees goal for Kevin Schade… as Palace find way past Mark Flekken

We know central defenders love a sliding tackle, but to score a goal from one? That is a whole new level of dedication to the art of the slide from Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen.

It was in the 76th minute when Andersen played a one-two with Jordan Ayew. It looked for the world like Andersen was driving down a cul-de-sac. There was no beating Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken from here. Nor getting to the ball before Nathan Collins.

Yet Andersen slid and scored and Palace pinched a point which most of the 16,997 supporters in this stadium will feel they did not deserve. Not that Roy Hodgson will care what they think.

Flekken had enjoyed an excellent game up until this point. He was stopping whatever was thrown at him. It was enough to make Brentford supporters think that maybe, just maybe, they will not miss David Raya following his transfer to Arsenal, after all.

Then the ball squirmed under Flekken, seemingly in slow motion. Perhaps this was inevitable. Brentford against Palace is a cursed fixture. Four times they had faced each other in the Premier League and every single outing had ended in a draw. We can now make that five after Andersen’s equaliser cancelled out an excellent opener from Kevin Schade.

Kevin Schade scored a stunning solo goal in the first half to give Brentford a 1-0 advantage

Joachim Andersen levelled in the 76th minute after squeezing the ball past Mark Flekken on the slide from close range

Ivan Toney signed a new contract this week. Not with Brentford, but with CAA Stellar, the renowned agency headed up by Jonathan Barnett. Toney’s switching of agents has fuelled speculation he will return from his suspension in January and immediately leave, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham known to be interested in the 27-year-old Englishman.

Yet life without Toney has not been so bad. Brentford started the season with a 2-2 draw against Tottenham and a 3-0 win at Fulham, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa scoring in each of those outings. Only Schade had not gotten in on the act. Not yet, anyway.

Schade joined Brentford on loan in January in a move which was made permanentl for a club-record £22million in June. The 21-year-old Germany winger did not score last season, though his manager, Thomas Frank, repeatedly insisted that it was coming.

At long last, Schade’s moment arrived when, 18 minutes into this match, the heavens opened at the same time as the visitors’ defence. Christian Norgaard’s cross-field ball to the left wing was collected by Schade, who charged directly at Joel Ward, Palace’s retreating right back.

Schade had Ward on toast, cutting inside before curling right-footed into the far corner. Brentford’s 1-0 lead was deserved as Palace’s performance had been flat in the extreme.

Flashes of lightning could be seen above the Brentford Community Stadium but on the pitch, Eberechi Eze was the only one providing any electricity for the visitors.

Mark Flekken received a standing ovation for a brilliant afternoon for Brentford, making a double save in the second half, but couldn’t keep out Andersen 

It is easy to see why clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester City, are so fond of this 25-year-old. Eze’s dancing with the ball led to a chance for Odsonne Edouard, who ought to have done better. Eze had a few attempts on goal himself, though none too troubling for Flekken.

Before the break, Brentford almost scored again when Collins’ header dropped on the wrong side of the post. Hodgson, whose suit was now soggy thanks to the downpour, needed to have stern words at half-time. Otherwise another defeat was incoming.

Eberechi Eze had a lively afternoon for Palace but none of his shots were enough to trouble

Ward was having a stinker against Schade, whose confidence was growing in this game. Funny what a first goal in 21 Premier League outings can do for you.

Yet after an hour, Palace started to search for their equaliser. Edouard saw his 25-yard free-kick tipped over by Flekken, who was about to get busy in Brentford’s goal.

Eze’s corner was headed down by Jefferson Lerma but Flekken made an instinctive stop. Ayew raced to the rebound – and was only a yard out – but Flekken saved again.

Brentford’s supporters gave him a standing ovation. They may have sold Raya to Arsenal – on loan with a £30m option to buy – but Flekken was doing himself no harm.

Until the 76th minute, that is, when Palace scored their surprise equaliser. Andersen played a pass into Ayew, who gave him it back. Andersen’s touch was heavy and he slid to the ball, somehow sending it under Flekken for 1-1.

Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace stats

Brentford

Starting XI: Flekken; Hickey, Collins, Pinnock, Henry; Janelt, Norgaard, Jensen; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade (Lewis-Potter 80′)

Subs: Balcombe, Zanka, Onyeka, Ajer, Lewis-Potter (Schade 80′), Roerslev, Yarmoliuk, Olakigbe, Brierley

Goal: Kevin Schade, 29′ 

Crystal Palace 

Starting XI: Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Lerma, Doucoure, Eze; Ayew, Edouard (Mateta 71′), Schlupp (Ahmada 71′)

Subs: Matthews, Tomkins, Richards, Riedewald, Clyne, Ahamda (Schlupp 71′), Gordon, Rak-Sayki, Mateta (Edouard 71′)

Goal: Andersen, 76′ 

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