Crystal Palace secured a valuable point at Stamford Bridge after Eberechi Eze’s sublime second-half goal earned them a 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
The Blues had taken the lead through Nicolas Jackson’s first-half strike, but Eze’s brilliant equalizer ensured Palace left West London with a share of the spoils.
Chelsea, under the guidance of Enzo Maresca, dominated the first half, with Jackson finishing off a slick counter-attack involving Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke to put the hosts ahead.
The Blues’ early dominance did not reflect in the scoreline as they struggled to convert their chances into a more substantial lead.
Madueke had a couple of opportunities to extend Chelsea’s advantage, coming close twice. First, he narrowly missed the target after capitalizing on a defensive error by Palace’s Marc Guehi. Minutes later, he was denied by a superb reaction save from Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who was in outstanding form throughout the match.
Palace, however, found their footing in the second half, particularly after the introduction of Cheick Doucouré.
The visitors began to assert themselves, and it was Eze who provided the moment of magic. In the 53rd minute, after Doucouré’s powerful shot was deflected into Eze’s path, the England international curled a stunning 20-yard effort beyond Chelsea’s goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, leveling the score.
Following Eze’s equalizer, Crystal Palace looked the more dangerous side, nearly taking the lead on several occasions. Sanchez was forced into action, making a crucial save to deny Daichi Kamada, while Eze had another effort blocked as Palace pushed for a winner.
Chelsea tried to respond in the closing stages, with Jackson going close twice in stoppage time. However, Henderson, who was named Player of the Match, pulled off another fantastic save to deny the striker, ensuring Palace held on for a hard-earned point.
The draw leaves Chelsea still searching for consistency under Maresca, while Palace will be buoyed by their resilient display and the quality of Eze’s equalizer, which marked their first point of the season.
