A trialist scored and assisted two as Crystal Palace defeated Everton 4-2 to set up a repeat final of the Premier League International Cup.
Jemiah Umolu, who is currently playing for West Ham, was crucial to Palace’s win.
Umolu, 18, is no stranger to trials this season, as he has trialed at Palace, Southampton, and Leicester.
Umolu said: “It’s insightful going into different clubs as they all have different training styles and ask different things of me despite playing the same role for all of them.
“It’s a chance to see if they’re a right fit for me and find out if the team would aid in getting the best out of me, yet showcasing what I have to offer to them and any other viewers.
Umolu was aware of the incredible opportunity that presented him.
He said: “I’m just grateful the manager had faith in me as it’s rare that a trialist starts a semi final.
“I love scoring or helping others to score if I can’t.
“I’m just happy to be in the final and hopefully I can help the team achieve the win that they couldn’t achieve last year.”
Last year, PSV Eindhoven defeated the Eagles 3-1 after extra time to claim the cup and will face off again this time around.
With the help of a trialist, Franco Umeh, Danny Imray and Justin Devenny, Palace secured back-to-back cup finals.
The forward has featured in six games for the Eagles since the end of February, with his first goal contributions coming against Everton.
When asked whether bouncing around from team to team showcasing his talent has been difficult, he said: “I wouldn’t say it’s been difficult at all.
“When you play with good players you know it from a few touches of the ball and it builds trust.
“That’s why I feel it’s so important to display your ability early on in the game to build the trust with my teammates, some of which I haven’t even trained with – but as their trust in me grew so did my output.”
Crystal Palace Under-21s will face PSV in the final on Wednesday May 15 with kick-off at 19:00 at Selhurst Park.
Featured image credit: Rockybiggs Wikipedia Commons
