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LONDON. — Chelsea had to settle for a 1-1 home draw against Crystal Palace after a second-half equaliser by Eberechi Eze gave the visitors their first point of the Premier League season yesterday as they bounced back from a poor start in a much-improved second half.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 25th minute after Palace defender Marc Guehi made an ill-advised raid forward and lost the ball, quickly exposing the visitors’ defensive frailties.
Winger Noni Madueke surged down the right before picking out Cole Palmer, whose deft pass found Nicolas Jackson steaming through the centre to score with ease from close range.
After slumping to successive defeats in their opening games against Brentford and West Ham United and starting badly at Stamford Bridge, the Eagles finally got lift-off after the break.
After the influential Palmer almost scored from a direct free kick, Palace found their mojo as Eze equalised in the 53rd, picking up the rebound from Cheick Doucoure’s blocked shot and curling the ball beautifully into the net from outside the box. Both sides continued to chase a winner, with Levi Colwill going close for Chelsea and Palace’s Daichi Kamada forcing a fine save from Robert Sanchez as the clocked ticked towards 90 minutes.
Eze had a shot from the edge of the box blocked but his team seemed to tire in stoppage time and Jackson had two great opportunities to snatch a winner for the Blues. — Reuters.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter