September 15 2018

Wilfried Zaha

Crystal Palace secured a 1-0 win away at Huddersfield, with a first half goal courtesy of Wilfried Zaha.

Zaha and James Tomkins returned to the starting 11 after returning to training this week. Jordan Ayew was chosen to partner Zaha up front with Christian Benteke missing through injury.

Huddersfield got off a good start in the first quarter of an hour, and came close via an effort by Steve Mounie who nodded a Chris Lowe cross just over the bar.

Despite the early pressure from the hosts, the Eagles went in front after 38 minutes through a wonderful goal by Zaha.

He picked up the ball from Ayew on the left, running at players, and then cut inside and unleashed a curling shot into the far corner.

Zaha almost got a second straight after, but this time his shot was much tamer and was easily saved by the Terriers' keeper Jonas Lossl.

After the restart Huddersfield had the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was ruled out by referee Lee Mason for a foul on Mamadou Sakho.

Then the hosts had another chance through Aaron Mooy whose volley struck the post, and Wayne Hennessey managed to push away the resulting effort by Florent Hadergjonaj.

Then it was Palace's turn to have a goal disallowed - Cheikhou Kouyate bundling the ball home from a corner, but the effort was disallowed for a foul on keeper Lossl.

With 20 minutes left on the clock, Zaha put James McArthur through but his first time effort sailed over the bar.

Huddersfield pressed for an equalising goal in the closing minutes but failed to hit the target, and the Eagles came away with a vital win.

Palace: Hennessey, Wan-Bissaka, Sakho, van Aanholt, Tomkins, Milivojevic, Kouyate, McArthur, Townsend (Schlupp, 89), Ayew, Zaha

Subs not used: Ward, Guaita, Sorloth, Meyer, Riedewald, Kelly

Huddersfield: Lossl, Jorgensen (Depoitre, 78), Schindler, Mounie, Kongolo, Lowe, Hadergjonaj, Mooy, van La Parra (Mbenza, 78), Kachunga (Diakhaby, 68), Billing

Subs not used: Williams, Pritchard, Smith, Hamer