Crystal Palace endured a fierce first-half challenge from Watford but turned the tide spectacularly, netting two late goals to secure a memorable 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park.
Match Summary
Watford dominated the opening 45 minutes, grabbing an early lead thanks to Daryl Janmaat’s powerful header from Richarlison’s precise cross. Despite this, Palace held firm, and following a late red card for Tom Cleverley, they surged to clinch the win with goals from Bakary Sako and James McArthur deep into injury time.
First Half
From the kickoff, Watford pressed hard, putting Crystal Palace under immense pressure and catching them off guard. This intensity paid off quickly as Janmaat scored in the 3rd minute, heading home a superb cross by the dynamic Richarlison.
Palace struggled to find their footing, while Watford continued their threat. Richarlison nearly doubled the lead in the 11th minute, but his strike was expertly cleared by James Tomkins. Further chances came close for Watford through Sebastian Prodl and Janmaat, with one shot deflected wide by Scott Dann.
Troy Deeney then missed a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 just before the half-time break, scuffing a chance from close range after a well-delivered cross by Richarlison.
Second Half
The second half saw a more composed Palace team, though chances remained limited initially. Watford continued to push and tested Palace’s keeper Julian Speroni, who made a stunning save from Richarlison in the 65th minute.
The game-changer came in the 87th minute when Cleverley received a second yellow card, reducing Watford to ten men. This sparked Palace’s resurgence as Wilfried Zaha came alive, cutting inside and forcing a save that led to Sako’s equaliser.
Just minutes later, Zaha created a moment of magic, sliding a perfect pass to James McArthur who calmly finished to seal an incredible comeback win for Palace.
Final Score: Crystal Palace 2 – 1 Watford
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