Zaha the hero as Palace defeat the Villans

August 20 2022

Zaha equalises for Palace

Crystal Palace secured their first win of the 2022/23 Premier League season, with a 3-1 win against Aston Villa at Selhurst Park.

Eagles boss Patrick Vieira made one change to the starting lineup which saw Nathaniel Clyne drop to the bench and Odsonne Edouard return to the attack.

The game started at a furious pace, with chances at both ends in the opening minutes. It was the visitors though who went ahead as early as the fifth minute. Villa striker Ollie Watkins was put through on goal and he calmly steered the ball past Vicente Guaita.

Palace hit back within two minutes, when Zaha raced clear and brilliantly placed a shot across goal which Villa keeper Emiliano Martínez failed to get his hand to, and the home side were back level.

On 26 minutes Jeffrey Schlupp thought he'd given the Eagles the lead, but Edouard was adjudged to be marginally offside in the build up.

On 58 minutes Palace had a penalty when Lucas Digne was adjudged to have handled in the box from a corner. Zaha stepped up to take the resulting penalty but his kick was saved by Martínez, however he was first to the rebound to slot the ball home.

The Eagles made sure of all three points on 71 minutes when Tyrick Mitchell's brilliant cross found substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta, who swept the ball home to the delight of the Selhurst crowd.

Palace: Guaita, Ward, Andersen, Guéhi, Mitchell, Schlupp (Hughes, 82), Doucouré, Eze (Richards, 90), J Ayew (Olise, 70), Édouard (Mateta, 70), Zaha (Milivojevic, 82)

Aston Villa: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn (Douglas Luiz, 73), Kamara, J Ramsey, Bailey (Ings, 66), Watkins, Buendía (Coutinho, 73)