In the Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge, Noni Madueke secured a victory for Chelsea by scoring the winning penalty in the 89th minute against Crystal Palace.
The home team took a deserved lead in the 13th minute after Malo Gusto’s effective play led to the full-back delivering a pass to Mykhailo Mudryk, who scored from close range.
However, Crystal Palace equalized just before halftime, as Michael Olise controlled Jordan Ayew’s cross and struck the ball into the bottom corner.
Despite Chelsea creating numerous opportunities, Mauricio Pochettino’s side seemed destined for a second consecutive match without capitalizing on their chances.
In the 77th minute, Nicolas Jackson appeared to score by tapping in Thiago Silva’s deep cross, but Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervention determined that the forward was narrowly offside.
Chelsea eventually got the breakthrough they sought in a tense conclusion when VAR identified a foul by Eberechi Eze on substitute Madueke just inside the area. The England Under-21 forward calmly dispatched the penalty, sending Palace keeper Dean Henderson the wrong way.
Chelsea wasteful, but enjoy home comfort
Chelsea’s victory was well-earned, though the recurring theme of inefficient finishing seemed to persist for the Blues, a characteristic that has marked much of their season.
“We created many chances,” manager Pochettino told BBC Match of the Day. “I am really pleased with the performance.”
Moments before their early goal, his team had an opportunity to take the lead when Ian Maatsen advanced towards the goal, and his shot, deflected off Henderson, was cleared off the line by Tyrick Mitchell.
Even after Mudryk’s goal, the hosts remained the more threatening side. The Ukrainian forward tested Henderson with a shot, Christopher Nkunku headed over from close range, and Jackson pulled another attempt wide.
There was an early penalty appeal when Nkunku went down under pressure from Chris Richards, but the VAR upheld the referee’s decision to dismiss Chelsea’s protests.
In the second half, Henderson made a crucial save by palming away Nkunku’s cross, with Jackson ready to pounce behind him. Substituting Armando Broja struck the side-netting.
With 15 minutes remaining, Jackson had a golden opportunity to score, but he dinked his finish off target.
Despite the missed chances, Chelsea secured their third consecutive home Premier League win, marking only their sixth victory in 2023, as they climbed to 10th place in the table.
“The Premier League is really tough and we need to be consistent,” added Pochettino.
“The first half of the season has been really up and down and it’s been tough and difficult. But we’re positive and we need to show that we can compete.”
‘Tough pill to swallow’ as Palace winless in eight
Since November 4, Palace has not secured a victory, and Roy Hodgson’s team is currently only three points ahead of Luton Town, who are in the third-bottom position and have played one fewer game.
Despite being outperformed for a significant portion of the match, the Eagles had several chances after the restart and registered more shots overall than their hosts.
Eze narrowly missed with a free-kick, while Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta both tested Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic with impressive attempts at his near post.
“I think the team’s performance meant it was a tough pill to swallow,” Hodgson told BBC Match of the Day. “We’re near the bottom of table but the fact is we have had a difficult run of games.”
Since their previous triumph, Crystal Palace has found some reasons for optimism, such as securing a hard-fought draw against Manchester City in December.
However, they have also experienced heart-wrenching, last-minute losses against Liverpool and, more recently, Chelsea.
It is imperative for Palace to return to winning form promptly. They are currently on an eight-match winless streak in the league (with three draws and five losses), marking their lengthiest stretch without a victory under Hodgson since an eight-game sequence in June and July 2020.
As far as I am concerned there are 38 games in a season and we’ve played half of them,” added the Palace boss.
“Are we good enough? Do we have good enough players? I have every confidence the team will get victories.”