Crystal Palace concluded their pre-season preparations with a score draw against Ligue 1 Nantes. The South London club fell behind after 14 minutes, but a second-half goal from new boy Daichi Kamada rescued a draw for the Eagles. 

Perhaps providing a hint to how Crystal Palace will set up in their opening Premier League match next Sunday, Oliver Glasner coupled Will Hughes with Adam Wharton in midfield, favouring the duo over Jefferson Lerma and Cheick Doucoure. 

With speculation over their futures ramping up, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Sam Johnstone were omitted from the Crystal Palace squad. 

New signing Daichi Kamada made his first Selhurst start, while Chadi Riad and Ismaila Sarr were preferred from the bench. 

Palace took a while to get into motion, and Dean Henderson was called into action in the first 90 seconds. Joachim Andersen was caught off balance, and Tyrick Mitchell took a tumble as weak defending from Palace provided Tino Kadewere an opening. However, the English shot-stopper produced a fantastic save with his feet. 

After a slow start, Palace carved their first opportunity inside five minutes. Daniel Munoz pressured Alban Lafont into playing a loose pass to Eberechi Eze. Receiving the ball inside the penalty area, the forward was too hesitant, and the chance to blast the ball into a gaping net faded. 

For large spells, the affair had a typical pre-season feel. Palace showed encouraging signs, and at points, some of their tidy football was reminiscent of how they finished the season, albeit the consistent intensity was absent. 

Adam Wharton had been the bright spark, flaunting his elegant on-the-ball ability to all inside Selhurst Park. 

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However, for Palace’s promise, their first encounter with a corner was disastrous. Sorba Thomas delivered a perfect out-swinging ball towards Jean-Charles Castelletto, whose solid header was no match for Henderson as Nantes took the lead in the 17th minute. 

After falling behind, the South London club failed to put a move of quality together until the 34th minute when Chris Richards moved the ball out wide to Munoz. The Colombian delivered a great cross to Eze at the penalty spot, who controlled it well but miscued his effort wide of the post. 

Oliver Glasner’s side showed glimpses throughout, but it took until the hour mark for an attacking move to pay dividends. Japanese international Kamada feasted off a wonderful ball driven across the face of the goal by Mitchell. Showing pure composure, Kamada read the flight of the ball impeccably, finishing the move off with a side-foot into the back of the net. 

Palace made a lorry load of changes after finding a leveller. Jefferson Lerma, Chadi Riad, Jordan Ayew, Cheick Doucoure, Jeffery Schlupp and Ismalia Sarr were afforded minutes from the bench, with Marc Guehi, Odsonne Edouard, Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada pulled off for the remaining half an hour. 

Following the changeover, neither side provided much of a threat, and the encounter became heavily focused on getting minutes in the tank.

Crystal Palace open their Premier League campaign away to Brentford next Sunday.