A crazy Monday night Premier League result. Graham Potter’s Brighton side will be utterly perplexed as to how they managed to lose this game to Crystal Palace. After dominating the entire game, including having 75% possession and 25 shot attempts, Palace stole the game in the final seconds with only their second touch inside Brighton’s box. A huge Premier League result for all clubs involved in the relegation battle.
Dominant Brighton shocked by resilient Palace
Brighton dominated the game immediately, keeping Roy Hodgson’s men on the back foot and not allowing them any attacking chances. That was the case, until the 28th minute. Jordan Ayew burst down the right side of the pitch in a rare Palace attack before firing the ball into the box towards Jean-Philippe Mateta. The Palace striker superbly roulette spins so that his right foot backheels the ball first time, firing it between the legs of both Ben White and keeper Robert Sánchez into the back of the net – marking the striker’s first goal for the club.
Brighton finally broke through Palace’s defence in the 55th minute. The ball is played to Danny Welbeck inside the box, but he’s tackled by Tyrick Mitchell. However, the tackle sends the ball right into Joël Veltman’s path, who smashes it past Palace keeper Vicente Guaita’s near post.
The game looked all but over when Brighton’s final attack came to nothing in the 95th minute. Step forward, Christian Benteke! Man of the match Ayew collected the ball near the half-way line before driving forward and playing the ball out wide to Andros Townsend. The winger whipped a high-arching cross back post to substitute Benteke, who gets a little room from Dan Burn, before smashing the ball on a first-time volley into the far bottom corner from the right side of the six-yard box.
Crystal Palace have had four shots in their two games against Brighton this season.
They've scored three goals. pic.twitter.com/sDu1sedEcO
— Squawka (@Squawka) February 22, 2021
Absolutely incredible scenes for Palace, who only managed two touches inside Brighton’s box the entire game – both of which were the first-time finishes. The win also puts them 10 points clear of the relegation zone, whilst this heart-breaking loss for the Seagulls keeps them just 4 points above it.
📊 Brighton’s 52 touches in the opposition box is their most since promotion to PL (139 matches) and the 4th most by any team in a PL game this season pic.twitter.com/0bV3nL4pYY
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) February 22, 2021
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