Summary:
- Zaha returns as one of three changes for Palace
- West Ham score early as Soucek slams home corner
- Ayew hit back straight away as Ayew slides in
- Zaha stabs home from close range in breathless start to the game
- Guéhi looping header lands on top netting as Palace sustain momentum
- Schlupp slides in Palace’s third inside opening half-an-hour
- Antonio header reduces visitors’ deficit soon after
- HT: Palace 3-2 West Ham
- Olise forces Fabianski into fingertip save early in the second-half
- Quieter period in the match as teams wrestle for control
- Eze wins and scores penalty to stretch Palace's lead once more
- Aguerd squeezes corner-kick in to set up tense finale
- Andersen header deflected wide from late corner
- Brilliant defending as Palace survive late aerial bombardment
- FT: Palace 4-3 West Ham
Zaha was making his return from a four-week absence and, wearing the captain’s armband, completed an early Palace turnaround which opened the first-half up into a thriller.
A delayed start to proceedings paved the way for a match worth waiting for, as both sides traded blows relentlessly in the opening period.
It was West Ham who took the lead inside 10 minutes, the visitors showcasing their efficiency from set-pieces as Tomas Soucek stabbed home a half-cleared corner from close range.
But Palace’s response, roared on by a brilliant Selhurst backing, was immediate, as excellent combination play between Michael Olise and Jordan Ayew down the right flank – the former playing a reverse ball into the path of a latter – allowed the No. 9 to squeeze a precise low equaliser inside the near post.
The noise inside Selhurst went up a notch once more.
Just nine minutes later, Palace were in front, a ball across the box from Olise flicked away from the goalkeeper and defender by Ayew, allowing Zaha to mark his return with a simple far-post finish.
All the momentum was with the home side as Palace’s back line and midfielders tracked West Ham’s runners effectively.
And that hard work paid off even higher up the pitch when Guehi headed over Zaha’s cross and, moments later, Jeffrey Schlupp scored the Eagles’ third inside the opening half-an-hour, nicking the ball off Soucek and sliding the ball past the onrushing Fabianski.
The goals kept on coming, West Ham pulling one back moments later – another corner-kick, flicked on by Soucek at the near post and nodded in at the far by Antonio.
As Selhurst drew a collective breath, the Eagles continued to threaten and did well to control the game until half-time, given how frequently momentum switched between the two sides.
When the two sets of players re-emerged on a sweltering Spring afternoon, the game picked up where it left off, Schlupp’s low shot from the edge of the box forcing a simple save for Fabianski.
After a more tense period – the next goal likely to go some way to determining the outcome of the game – Palace looked to have taken an unassailable lead.
Once again, the attacking interplay was delightful, zippy passing involving Zaha, Eze and Ayew resulting in Eze being dragged back by Aguerd just inside the box – a penalty, upon VAR review, duly given.
Up stepped our No. 10, sending Fabianski the wrong way to register his fourth goal contribution in the six matches since Roy Hodgson’s return.
But once again, the two-goal lead did not last – and once again, it was a corner-kick which handed West Ham a lifeline, Soucek winning the first header at the near post, and the ball looping up towards the far stick where a combination of Aguerd and Antonio squeezed it over the line.
Once again, a tense period ensued, defences finally starting to come out on top after the earlier goalscoring flurries.
And it was Palace who would come closest to adding to the goalfest late on when Andersen’s header from Olise’s corner deflected behind off Rice, only for a goal-kick to be awarded.
Six added minutes were signalled after another thrilling half and, with the Selhurst faithful once more in fine voice, they roared their team over the line, despite another late aerial bombardment, expertly defended by Andersen, Guehi and every other player in red and blue.
Palace’s four-month spell in 12th place was over: three points taking them to the 40-point mark, above Chelsea, and into 11th. A remarkable achievement from Hodgson and his players – and there’s still four games left to go…
Palace: Johnstone (GK), Ward, Guéhi, Andersen, Mitchell, Doucouré (Milivojevic, 90+5), Schlupp, Olise, Eze, Ayew, Zaha (Edouard, 83)
Subs: Guaita (GK), Richards, Tomkins, Riedewald, Hughes, Lokonga, Mateta
West Ham: Fabianski (GK), Coufal, Zouma (Ogbonna, 18), Aguerd, Emerson (Cresswell, 45), Rice, Soucek, Paqueta (Ings, 69), Bowen, Antonio (Cornet, 89), Fornals (Benrahma, 45)
Subs: Areola (GK), Kehrer, Lanzini, Downes
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