West Ham United 2-2 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace came from behind twice to take a big point away from high flying West Ham, as loan player Conor Gallagher twice pegged the Hammers back.
Premier League: West Ham vs Crystal Palace was a clash between two contrasting teams, the swashbuckling Hammers are full of confidence while the Eagles have been struggling for goals. And when Pablo Fornals broke the deadlock, late in the first half it was no more than the hosts deserved. But Palace got stuck in and, while Michail Antonio bagged a second for the Hammers Palace Chelsea loan player Gallagher scored twice to level.
David Moyes’ West Ham showed bags of character last season but today the plaudits go to Patrick Vieira’s Eagles who picked up a hard-fought point.
Highlights of the game
Antonio became the Hammers all time top scorer in the Premier League with his double in last week’s 4-1 victory over Leicester City, and he was the first to test the Palace keeper after a flowing move. Declan Rice started the attack when he found Vladimir Coufal in space; he fired a cross in which was brought down by Said Benrahma into the path of Antonio who’s shot was saved well by Vicente Guaita.
That seemed to spark the Hammers into life and they started to play some great football, pinning Palace back in their own half; but they struggled to break down the visitors’ resistance in the opening half hour and only came really close when Eagles defender Joachim Anderson headed towards his own net and the ball was scrambled off the goal line. But they persevered and eventually broke through to take a half time lead, and it was another lovely move. Benrahma slid a ball through to Antonio and he fed Formals who fired home for the opener.
The pre-match West Ham vs Crystal Palace betting odds backed a comfortable home win and at the whistle those odds looked to be very good value indeed.
The second half began with the same pattern and Benrahma had a glorious chance to double the lead but he fluffed his lines. It seemed like a matter of time before West Ham would score again; but football can be a funny old game and as the Hammers pressed for a second to see the game to bed, all of a sudden the Eagles were level. Christian Benteke nodded a cross from Wilfried Zaha into the path of Gallagher and he squeezed the ball home.
That gave Palace belief but it also needled their hosts and Antonio got his 50th Premier League goal, taking down a long pass from Aaron Creswell and hammering it past Guaita. 2-1.
But the Hammers just couldn’t hold onto the lead again and for a second time, Gallagher equalised, smashing the ball home from close range after good work from James McCarthur. There were just two minutes between the two goals and with 15 left West Ham had it all to do again. They camped in the Palace half but substitute Andriy Yamolenko could only curl his effort over the bar, and it was the Eagles who came closest to a winner when Marc Guehi headed over from close range.
Key statistics
The first half West Ham vs Crystal Palace highlights told a story of total domination for the Hammers as they fired in eight shots to Palace’s one, but only one to nil on target.
But Palace fought back in the second half pulling the shot count back to 14 to nine and four to two on target.
It was a big pint for Palace who scored their first goals under Vieira, but they are now winless in their last 11 Premier League London derbies.
The irrepressible Antonio has been involved in 12 goals in his last ten Premier League games. What a player!
What’s next?
Next week we’re into an international weekend when England host Andorra at Wembley Stadium in a World Cup 2022 qualifier.
Then the Hammers have a busy week on their return; first they visit Southampton in the Premier League, before heading to Croatia to take on Dinamo Zagreb in a Europa League clash.
After the break Palace have two really tough games to come when they host Tottenham Hotspur on 11th September and then travel to Merseyside to take on Liverpool at Anfield. Here at SBOTOP we’ll be at both those games as Vieira’s team faces two of the most feared strikers in the league, Harry Kane who has stayed at Spurs and Mo Salah the Liverpool hit man.
The Eagles still need a striker themselves; but at least in Gallagher they have a man to score some goals in the meantime.
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