That's love-Lee!

December 19 2015

Lee Chung-yong

Lee Chung-yong's late goal sealed a 2-1 Crystal Palace win at Stoke City.

The substitute fired home a brilliant finish from 30 yards in the 88th minute to give Palace maximum points in an evenly-contested game.

Palace were grateful to Wayne Hennessey who produced a string of excellent saves to keep out the Potters. He first was from ex Barcelona star Bojan and then the woodwork kept out the hosts as Erik Pieters' cross was diverted on to the upright by Marco van Ginkel.

But the Eagles got the decisive first goal on the stroke of half-time with a penalty after Glenn Whelan went into the back of Wilfired Zaha's leg in the area. Connor Wikcham smashed the resulting spot-kick down the middle of the net for his first Palace strike.

Hennessey pushed out Glen Johnson's effort as Stoke pressed for an equaliser in the second half that they began to dominate. However, Palace were happy to hit them on the break with James McArthur just failing to reach Yannick Bolasie's cross from the left and sub Marouane Chamakh fired off target.

Marko Arnautovic's deflected shot went agonisingly wide for the hosts, before Hennessey brilliantly saved from Bojan when he looked certain to score.

The Potters equalised with a penalty of their own after Damien Delaney handled in the box and Bojan put away the kick on 76 minutes.

Both teams went in search of a winner as Xherdan Shaqiri's free-kick sailed just wide and Jack Butland came out well to thwart Bolasie. From the resulting corner, Stoke failed to clear their lines and the ball fell to Lee whose measured strike flew in beyond the reach of Butland with two minutes left.

Palace have now won 11 of their last 16 away games in the Premier League and stay in sixth place but level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham.

Alan Pardew said: "Stoke bossed us in the second half but we showed the qualities which are why we are where we are. We have been terrific away from home ever since I have been here.

"We are dangerous when he have the first goal as we have pace on the break. Stoke were due a goal for sure, they put some real quality in and a draw would have been a fair result.

"The goal which won it was brilliant. It will wake all of Asia up tonight. We want to fight for that sixth place."

Mark Hughes said: "We were the totally dominant side, there is no way we should have lost that game. Crystal Palace were resolute and had the benefit of a penalty and then they were happy to sit back and hit us on the break.

"It's two years running they have come here and nicked the points. If they were honest they would say they didn't deserve to win.

"We tried to get back into the game, could have converted any number of chances and then the lad scores a wonder goal. He hasn't scored many like that in his career! We are playing well enough, on another day we would have won."