Palace keep up away form with win at second-from-bottom Leicester
LEICESTER, England :Crystal Palace kept up their impressive away form in the Premier League as second half goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marc Guehi handed them a 2-0 win at struggling Leicester City on Wednesday.
Palace extended their unbeaten run away from home in the league to six matches with victory at the King Power Stadium and moved up one place to 14th in the standings.
Hosts Leicester lost a sixth successive league game and remain second from bottom, paying the price for squandering chances to take a first half lead.
Mateta’s opener came seven minutes into the second half in Palace’s first effort on target while Guehi added the second 12 minutes from time.
The imposing Mateta showed his power as he netted a sixth league goal of the season, shrugging aside Leicester defender Jannik Vestergaard before rounding goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk after being set up by a driving run through the middle from Ismailia Sarr.
Guehi's goal came via a setpiece from Eberechi Eze, who lifted the ball high into the penalty area with the defender coming in on the left to steer home the ball on the volley.
"That one wasn't actually planned, it was off the cuff," said Guehi.
"We practice set-pieces a lot but that one was just instinctive. Eze has the quality to deliver."
Palace had initially been forced onto the back foot as Leicester made the brighter start but a 17th minute opportunity for the 38-year-old Jamie Vardy ended meekly after he bore down on the Palace goal but shot straight at goalkeeper Dean Henderson with his weaker left foot.
SILKY SKILLS
Vardy also miscued a close-in chance later in the half after some silky skills from Stephy Mavididi saw him get a cross in, despite several defenders blocking his path.
There was a let off for the hosts midway through the first half when their effort to work the ball up the line was blocked and ricocheted for Mateta, but the Palace striker’s snap effort went well over the crossbar.
Boubakary Soumare struck the crossbar for Leicester before Palace’s second goal and efforts from Vardy and substitute Patson Daka either went narrowly wide or were blocked by the Palace defenders on a night of frustration for the home fans, who jeered their side at the final whistle.
"I think the difference in performance from us was too big. We dropped our levels and Palace are lethal. First chance is in and they took the momentum," said Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Palace have now lost only one of their last 10 league games and are away again at the weekend at West Ham United.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
