Crystal Palace earned a crucial three points in the ongoing Premier League relegation fight with a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Tuesday night, thanks to a stunning second-half goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Neither side managed to assert their dominance in a rather uninspiring opening half, although Palace did enjoy marginally more success in the final third with a flurry of chances around the 30th minute that could have seen them take the lead, but a lack of quality in the last moments ensured the game went into the break goalless.
The tempo was clearly increased by both sides from the restart, but it was Crystal Palace who finally broke the deadlock just before the hour mark as Mateta capped a swift counter with a step-over to beat Jacob Greaves before delightfully dinking the ball over Dean Henderson and into the far corner.
Ipswich attempted to push up the pitch in search of an equaliser in the following minutes, but that left gaps behind their defence, allowing Palace to exploit them on the counter on numerous occasions, resulting in the visitors looking the more likely team to add to the scoring as the game progressed.
The Tractor Boys pressed for an elusive equalizer as the game neared its end, but Crystal Palace held firm as the final whistle eventually went to ensure Oliver Glasner's men took home all three points.
IPSWICH TOWN VS. CRYSTAL PALACE HIGHLIGHTS
Jean-Philippe Mateta goal vs. Ipswich Town (59th min, Ipswich Town 0-1 Crystal Palace)
Crystal Palace finally have the breakthrough, superb play from Mateta to break the deadlock!
The Eagles look to quickly break forward after winning the ball back inside their own box, with a long ball played forward to Mateta before being shifted wide to Eberechi Eze on the left.
Mateta continues his run after the initial flick and receives a perfectly weighted pass from Eze, with the striker skillfully beating Greaves with a step-over before delicately dinking the ball over Henderson and into the far corner to put Palace ahead.
MAN OF THE MATCH - JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA
Mateta was the hero for Crystal Palace, delivering a moment of brilliance to secure the victory with a rare display of quality, as he skilfully beat Greaves before delicately dinking the ball into the far corner.
After a difficult first 45 minutes, the striker was notably improved in the second half, providing a constant outlet as Palace looked to exploit Ipswich on the counter.
Despite the defeat, Sam Morsy also deserves credit for his strong defensive display, making a formidable three tackles, four interceptions and winning six duels throughout the match.
IPSWICH TOWN VS. CRYSTAL PALACE MATCH STATS
Possession: Ipswich Town 54%-46% Crystal Palace
Shots: Ipswich Town 9-13 Crystal Palace
Shots on target: Ipswich Town 2-3 Crystal Palace
Corners: Ipswich Town 4-7 Crystal Palace
Fouls: Ipswich Town 14-13 Crystal Palace
BEST STATS
WHAT NEXT?
Defeat for Ipswich means the Tractor Boys remain without a home victory in the Premier League this season, the only team in the division yet to achieve that feat, and their search for a Portman Road triumph will continue when they host Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.
Crystal Palace's first away win in the Premier League this season lifts them three points clear of the relegation zone, though with one more game played than those directly below, and they will now look to extend Manchester City's recent misery when they clash on Saturday afternoon.
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