Crystal Palace came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly at Motspur Park on Friday evening.
Fulham went ahead through Antonee Robinson, but Palace responded with two goals to complete the comeback in a match that offered both sides another useful runout before the new season.
First minutes for new and returning players
The game also gave Fulham their first minutes for Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios, who were signed from Real Madrid on Monday.
For Crystal Palace, the friendly marked first pre-season appearances for Adam Wharton, Chadi Riad and Jorgen Strand Larsen. That made the evening more than just a scoreline update, with both teams able to test players and build rhythm in a lower-pressure setting.
Behind-closed-doors friendlies rarely carry the same attention as competitive fixtures, but they still matter in pre-season because they help managers assess fitness, sharpness and how new arrivals are settling in. For Palace, the comeback win was a positive sign. For Fulham, the main value was in the minutes handed to recent additions and the chance to continue preparing for the weeks ahead.
