Crystal Palace talent Malcolm Ebiowei has shown Rangers what they’re missing with a stunning 40-yard EFL Trophy goal v Stevenage.
The 20-year-old winger was once on the books at the Rangers Academy but showed why Crystal Palace signed him on a five-year deal last summer with a superb long-range effort.
With the Crystal Palace youth team turning out in the EFL Trophy against Stevenage, Malcolm Ebiowei pulled a goal back for his side in style after they fell 2-0 down in the match.
As shown here by Sky Sports, the winger latches onto an awful back-pass from Stevenage goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond to ping the ball into the back of the net from 40 yards with his left foot.
The Malcolm Ebiowei wonder goal would then kickstart a short-lived comeback with the young Crystal Palace equalising minutes later before being pegged back immediately.
With the game ending 5-2 to the League One side – who’re currently fifth in the English third tier – it’s the goal from former Rangers youth Malcolm Ebiowei which is grabbing headlines.
Malcolm Ebiowei nets wonder goal
As Malcolm Ebiowei nets a wonder goal for the Crystal Palace youth team, it might have a few Rangers supporters wondering why it never worked out at Ibrox.
The Gers pulled off something of a coup in February 2020 to sign the youngster from the Arsenal youth academy, Ebiowei having also spent time with Chelsea.
But that stint at Ibrox was short-lived with the youngster eventually moving to Derby County 19 months later and the winger burst onto the scene at Pride Park as a teenager.
Making 16 appearances for the Rams in the 21/22 season, you’ll perhaps remember reports at the time claiming that Manchester United were battling Crystal Palace for Ebiowei’s signature.
As things would transpire, the winger would move to Crystal Palace on a five-year deal after his contract expired at Derby in the summer of 2022 and made three Premier League appearances before being loaned out to Hull City.
Now propping up the Crystal Palace youth team, the winger clearly has some work to do at Selhurst Park but this wonder goal will do Malcolm Ebiowei’s chances at the Premier League club no harm at all.
One that got away?
Rangers fans watching Malcolm Ebiowei netting against Stevenage will be in two minds regarding the player’s potential ‘one that got away’ status.
Whilst there’s no doubt it was a fine strike, the League One standard of competition and Malcolm Ebiowei’s apparent regression in recent seasons will have fans wondering if he could’ve made the grade in Govan.
But there’s a reason why there has been such extensive Premier League interest in Malcolm Ebiowei with his long-range goal showing why Crystal Palace handed him a five-year deal.
That said, Rangers have their own youth prospects in the club’s squad and there is one bright spark in particular who’s been making waves in recent weeks.
Ross McCausland earned his first start for the club against Livingston and impressed so much in East Lothian he’s now in the Northern Ireland squad.
Perhaps if Malcolm Ebiowei was still at Rangers we’d have never seen the emergence of the 20-year-old Ulsterman who is fast becoming a fans’ favourite.
