August 26 2018

Wilfried Zaha

Crystal Palace crashed to a second straight defeat with a 2-1 loss away to Watford.

Palace fluffed a string of opportunities to score in a first half they dominated and were made to pay the price.

Christian Benteke should have done better with two headed opportunities, while James McArthur's one-on-one was well saved by keeper Ben Foster.

In the fourth minute, Watford were lucky to have 11 men on the field after Etienne Capoue appeared to deliberately damage Wilfried Zaha's Achilles in what could have been a season-ending injury but he escaped with just a yellow card.

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Referee Anthony Taylor then added insult to injury by booking Zaha for an innocuous challenge just moments later.

The Hornets's only chance of note was a Roberto Pereyra volley that was defected over, but they came firing out of the traps after the break and Wayne Hennessey used is body to keep the scores level.

And the hosts opened the scoring in the 53rd minute through Pereyra who neatly fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the area from Capoue's assist.

Eagles forward Benteke was inches away from finding the goal with a feirce shot just past the upright.

Watford were in control of this physical clash but will feel very fortunate with their second goal on 71 minutes after Jose Holebas's cross from the left looped over a flat-footed Hennessey and into the net.

Zaha pulled a goal back in the 78th minute after a one-two with substitute Max Meyer resulted in the striker drilling through Foster's legs to become Palace's record Premier League scorer.

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And the Eagles should have snatched a point in stoppage time but Joel Ward diverted a free header off a corner wide of the Hornets goal.

Watford: Foster, Janmaat, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas, Doucoure, Capoue, Hughes, Pereyra, Deeney (Success 90), Grey (Sema 72).

Not used: Gomes, Femina, Masina, Prodl, Mariappa.

Palace: Hennessey, Ward, Sakho, Kelly, Van Aanholt, Townsend, Milivojevic, McArthur, Schlupp (Meyer 76), Zaha, Benteke (Sorloth 85).

Not used: Guaita, Riedewald, Kouyate, Kaikai, Ayew.

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