By Georgia Garnett at the VBS Community Stadium
SUBSTITUTE Abbie Larkin scored a 98th-minute equaliser as Crystal Palace closed their 2024-25 WSL home campaign with a resilient performance, coming from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw against Leicester City at the VBS Community Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Hannah Cain scored the opener just before half-time, before Annabel Blanchard levelled in the 69th minute with a penalty.
Shannon O’Brien appeared to have given the visitors the three points when she scored in the 94th minute, only for Larkin to equalise again for the already relegated Eagles.
Palace started aggressively as Blanchard fired a shot in the third minute that hit the post.
Leicester goalkeeper Janina Leitzig was forced into several saves early in the match, as Ashleigh Weerden, Molly-Mae Sharpe and Katrine Veje all launched attacks on goal in the opening 20 minutes.
Hlín Eiríksdóttir was off-target for the visitors after half an hour and seven minutes later Palace cleared Sam Tierney’s header off the line.
Josie Green forced Leitzig into a diving save in the 41st minute, the keeper just getting her fingertips to the ball.
Cain broke the deadlock two minutes into first-half added-time as her shot snuck past Shae Yanez into the bottom-left corner.
Katie Stengel shot wide ten minutes after the break as the Eagles chased an equaliser but it was Leicester who almost doubled their lead, Cain testing Yanez who saved.
Palace got their chance to restore parity when Green was fouled by Courtney Nevin and Blanchard converted.
Three minutes later, Sharpe sent a header wide before at the other end Nelly Las had a header of her own that went wide.
O’Brien finished expertly into the top-right corner but Palace responded when Sharpe’s low cross was tapped in by Larkin.
Palace finished their first season in the WSL with one win, two draws and eight losses at home. They have ten points from 21 games.
The Eagles’ last game of the campaign is at Manchester City on Saturday at 12.30pm.
