September 12 2020

Wilfried Zaha

Crystal Palace got the new season off to a winning start with a 1-0 win at home to Southampton.

Palace began the game with new loan signing Michy Batshuayi and £19.5m forward Eberechi Eze on the bench.

But it took the seasoned WILFRIED ZAHA to grab the only goal of the game in a typical Palace counter-attack after 13 minutes.

Winger Andros Townsend broke down the right and found ZAHA on the far side who punched a volleyed beyond Alex McCarthy.

After the break, Palace keeper Vicente Guaita produced a superb block to stop Che Adams's volley.

Saints right back Kyle Walker-Peters had a red card downgraded to a yellow after ref Jonathan Moss reviewed his challenge on Tyrick Mitchell via the pitch monitor.

ZAHA got the ball in the Saints net near the end but it was ruled out for offside. The VAR replays showed that Jordan Ayew was merely millimetres beyond the last defender.

Guaita then pulled off an outstanding save to keep out a Danny Ings' injury-time equaliser and Palace got the win.

Palace: Guaita, Ward, Kouyate, Dann, Mitchell, Townsend, McCarthy (Milivojevic 74), McArthur, Schlupp (Eze 80), Ayew, ZAHA

Not used: Hennessey, Kelly, Woods, Meyer, Batshuyai.

Southampton: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Stephens, Bednarek (Vestergaard, 45), Bertrand, Redmond, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Smallbone (Djenepo 77), Adams (Long 85), Ings

Not used: Forster, Obafemi, Tella, Vokins.