Everton's hopes of qualifying for Europe were dealt a significant blow as Jean-Philippe Mateta came off the bench to earn Crystal Palace a 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park. The result leaves David Moyes' side level on points with Brentford in eighth, two points off the final guaranteed European spot.
First Half Action
The match began at a frantic pace, with Everton taking the lead after just six minutes. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's corner was inadvertently helped on by a Palace defender, allowing James Tarkowski to volley home from close range at the far post. A chaotic 30-second spell followed, with Jordan Pickford saving brilliantly from Maxence Lacroix before Dean Henderson denied Dewsbury-Hall on the counter-attack. Both England goalkeepers impressed in front of watching national team manager Thomas Tuchel.
Palace grew into the game and deservedly equalised 10 minutes before half-time. Michael Keane's poor clearance failed to clear the danger, and Ismaila Sarr pounced to thump the loose ball past Pickford. Iliman Ndiaye had a golden chance to restore Everton's lead in first-half stoppage time, but his header from inside the six-yard box lacked power and was cleared off the line by Sarr.
Second Half Drama
The visitors regained the lead less than two minutes after the restart. Beto raced onto Tarkowski's ball over the top, showing immense strength to hold off Lacroix before finishing calmly past Henderson. The striker's wonderful individual effort combined power and deftness of touch. Henderson then made an athletic save to deny James Garner's free-kick, while Pickford batted away Daichi Kamada's searching cross as Sarr attempted to prod home.
Palace continued to push for an equaliser, and it arrived 14 minutes from time. Tyrick Mitchell's cutback found Mateta, who swept the ball into the roof of the net from eight yards. Adam Wharton struck the post with a fierce effort from outside the box in stoppage time, before Mateta squandered a glorious chance when clean through. A winner would have been harsh on Everton, who had defended resolutely for much of the second half.
European Implications
The draw leaves Everton on 49 points, while Palace remain in 12th place. Oliver Glasner's side were on a high after booking their place in the Conference League final on Thursday, and they showed determination to avoid a letdown. They now face Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on 27 May. For Everton, the result is a major setback in their quest for European football next season.
