Baltimore MD - Crystal Palace endured a frustrating evening of action at Krenzler Stadium in Cleveland on Saturday night as they lost ground on the City Stars, going down to a late Sallieu Bundu strike after creating enough opportunities to take all three points back to Baltimore.

Both sides had their chances in the first half, with Matt Nelson pulling off some excellent saves to keep Palace in the game and Matthew Mbuta the main threat up top.  Cleveland's new defensive star, Musa Otieno, showed his value as he effectively stifled Palace's leading scorer Gary Brooks while also proving to be an aerial threat at the other end of the pitch.

It was a similar story during the second half.  In the final twenty minutes Brooks and substitute Sergio Flores failed to convert Palace's best chances of the game.

In the 83rd minute, Cleveland's Floyd Franks found Sallieu Bundu on along ball up the field. Bundu ran straight through the middle of the Palace back line and beat Nelson to seal the win for the home side and maintain their remarkable one-and-a-half season unbeaten home streak.   

"It was a close game" remarked a disappointed Pete Medd after the game.  "We were the better - Sergio and Gary both had open goals having beaten the keeper and didn't convert. We created a lot of chances, but the final touch was off."  Medd gave credit to Cleveland's goal-scorer:  " Their goal was created by Bundu's sheer athleticism.  He got on the end of a long ball and out-muscled us.  We deserved at least a point, if not all three but it wasn't to be."

With the loss Palace slip to fifth spot, seven points behind second-placed Cleveland, but with three games in hand over the top three teams.  Palace's next game is at home to Western Mass on Friday July 18th at 7:30pm - buy tickets for that match here.

Crystal Palace Line-Up:
Matt Nelson, Mike Lookingland (Ibrahim Kante 45), Shintaro Harada, Paul Robson, Andrew Marshall, Bryan Harkin (Val Teixeira 87), Mathew Mbuta, Larry Mark (Cecil Lewis 45), Pat Healey (Dan Lader 73), Kevin King (Sergio Flores 74), Gary Brooks

Bookings:

King 64

Cleveland Line-Up

Eric Reed, Jeremy Tolleson, Ian Leibbrandt (Adriano Sella 79), Godfrey Tenoff, Derek Potteiger, Sallieu Bundu, Anthony Stovall, Ryan Stewart (Neil Hlavatz 86), Luke Williams (Adam Ruud 74), Musa Otieno, Floyd Franks

Goals:
Bundu 82

Bookings:

Bundu 27

Potteiger 51

Referees: Andrew Scott, Adam Becker, Tad Albano, Josh Sherman