Eze scores to help Crystal Palace hold Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

Crystal Palace claimed their first point of the Premier League season by fighting back for a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Eberechi Eze’s superb 20-yard strike cancelled out Nicolas Jackson’s first-half effort and ensured the spoils were shared in an entertaining London derby. Jackson made it two goals in as many […]

Crystal Palace claimed their first point of the Premier League season by fighting back for a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Eberechi Eze’s superb 20-yard strike cancelled out Nicolas Jackson’s first-half effort and ensured the spoils were shared in an entertaining London derby.

Jackson made it two goals in as many matches when he rounded off a fine Chelsea move midway through the first half, but the Blues could not convert their early dominance into a bigger lead.

They were punished eight minutes after the restart as Eze curled home from distance, getting Oliver Glasner’s Eagles off the mark for 2024/25.

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Enzo Maresca’s hosts missed the chance to move into the top half and sit 11th in the table with four points, while Palace climb to 16th.

Match report

Chelsea quickly established control of proceedings with Cole Palmer curling inches wide of the far post and Noni Madueke – last weekend’s hat-trick hero at Wolverhampton Wanderers – also marginally off target.

Dean Henderson then produced a superb reflex save to tip Madueke’s volley from an Enzo Fernandez cross onto the crossbar.

However, the Palace goalkeeper was powerless as the Blues broke through in the 25th minute. A swift counter saw Madueke burst away from Will Hughes and feed Palmer, who delivered a low ball across the face of goal for Jackson to tap into an empty net.

Henderson did come to the visitors’ rescue again early in the second half, pushing away Palmer’s dipping free-kick and stopping a Levi Colwill header.

His interventions proved crucial as Palace equalised in the 53rd minute, with Eze bending a superb 20-yard effort beyond the reach of Robert Sanchez.

Chelsea continued to boss possession as the second half wore on, but Glasner’s side went closer to scoring when Daichi Kamada stung Sanchez’s palms 13 minutes from time.

Jackson was denied by Henderson late on at the other end, but the two teams could not be separated.