Report & Highlights: Palace strike late to stun Fulham for second away win of the week

First-team

8 hours ago

Marc Guéhi headed home a dramatic 87th minute winner as Crystal Palace earned a vital 2-1 away win at Fulham, to move the Eagles up to fourth in the Premier League table.

Summary:

Oliver Glasner makes two changes to the side that beat Burnley on Wednesday, Nathaniel Clyne and Eddie Nketiah returning
8: Fulham go close with first chance, Smith Rowe firing over on the half-volley after Guéhi diverted it just past the post
20 – GOAL: Nketiah produces a superb finish after Wharton’s reverse pass finds him inside the Fulham penalty area
24: Henderson makes a brilliant save to keep out Smith Rowe
29: Iwobi gets a shot away through a crowd of bodies, but Henderson holds his effort
38 – GOAL: Wilson levels the match with a curling shot from just inside the penalty area.
HT – Fulham 1-1 Palace
49: Mateta shoots just wide after good work from Pino and Kamada
53: Fulham goal ruled out following VAR review, after Smith Rowe had converted from close range
67: Castagne flashes a shot across Henderson’s goal
86: Uche goes close to a winner
87 – GOAL: Guéhi produces a bullet header to win the game in dramatic fashion.
FT: Fulham 1-2 Palace

As was the case when the two sides last met in the FA Cup quarter-final, both teams looked keen to make a fast start.

Emile Smith Rowe had an effort flash just wide of goal, after the ball deflected off Marc Guéhi. At the other end, Jean-Philippe Mateta managed to get in a shot from a tight angle, although it lacked the power to work Bernd Leno.

Yet Palace did manage to take the lead with only their second real sighting of goal. A wonderful flowing team move saw Adam Wharton, Tyrick Mitchell and Guéhi combine down the left-wing in the 20th minute.

Wharton then produced an exquisite reverse pass into Nketiah’s path. Making his first start of the season, he made no mistake, firing a low drive beyond Leno and into the far corner of the Fulham net. A brilliant move, executed in style.

But despite that flying start, the hosts responded quickly. Smith Rowe managed to break through the Palace backline, but could not beat Henderson.

The Fulham number 32 certainly had enough power on his shot, but a strong hand from Henderson preserved the Palace lead.

Alex Iwobi also forced a Henderson to react quickly to a volley from just inside the box, but the Eagles’ No. 1 looked in fine form.

However, the Palace stopper could do nothing to keep out Fulham’s equaliser seven minutes before the break.

The Wales international found space on the edge of Palace’s box, playing a clever one-two with Raul Jimenez.

Getting the return, Wilson’s curled effort with the outside of his boot found the top corner – leaving Palace with work to do. The goal naturally gave the hosts momentum, meaning half-time arrived at a decent time for Palace.

The Eagles started the second-half in positive fashion. Some nice link-up between Daichi Kamada and Yéremy Pino saw the latter release Mateta with a clever pass.

The France international managed to get the ball out of his feet for a shot, but it only trickled wide of the Fulham post.

Only minutes later Palace thought they had gone behind. Smith Rowe rammed home from close range after Iwobi’s header came back off the bar, with Henderson stranded.

However VAR would, in this instance, come to the rescue. The automated offside technology showed Timothy Castagne was fractionally offside in the build-up, cutting the home fans’ joy short.

The hosts continued to throw bodies forward, but Palace slowly regained control. Nketiah nearly had his second after Pino’s flick had caused a goalmouth scramble, only for Fulham to make a late clearance.

The goalscorer was then replaced by Christantus Uche, who went close to making an immediate impact.

Mitchell’s cross was dangerous and the Nigerian made contact, only for the ball to narrowly go beyond the post, in front of the away end.

Jefferson Lerma was also introduced to proceedings as Palace managed to stem to flow of Fulham’s attacks and, crucially, also created their own.

Another Mitchell ball found Uche sliding in at the back post, only for Leno to make an excellent reaction stop. Pino then saw a shot charged down from the resulting corner and it looked, for a fleeting moment, as if the chance to win had gone.

Step forward the skipper – Guéhi powering home a bullet header from the next corner to send the away end into delirium. More scenes that will live long with those witnessing the later winner, with 2025 throwing up yet another memorable day.

The Eagles managed to survive six minutes of added-on time in relative comfort to secure a vital three points that moves Palace up to fourth in the table – and make it three wins from three visits to Craven Cottage in the calendar year.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi, Clyne (Canvot, 77), Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell, Pino (Devenny, 92), Nketiah (Lerma, 66), Mateta (Uche, 66)

Subs: Benítez (GK), Matthews (GK), Sosa, Hughes, Esse.

Fulham: Leno (GK), Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Castagne, Berge (Lukic, 76), Wilson (Cairney, 88), Smith Rowe (Kevin, 68), Iwobi (Adama, 89), Jimenez, Chukwueze (King, 76)

Subs: Lecomte (GK), Cuenca, Kusi-Asare, Diop

AS IT HAPPENED

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