Guessand's Late Strike Lifts Palace to Crucial Premier League Win
Evann Guessand netted a dramatic last-gasp winner as Crystal Palace secured a vital 1-0 Premier League victory over 10-man Wolves at Selhurst Park on Sunday. The result provided much-needed relief for under-pressure manager Oliver Glasner, with the Eagles having won just one of their previous fifteen matches across all competitions.
Henderson's Heroics Deny Wolves First-Half Lead
The hosts avoided falling behind in the first half when captain Dean Henderson produced a crucial penalty save in the 43rd minute. Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare saw his spot-kick denied after a VAR review confirmed Adam Wharton's challenge warranted the award. Henderson guessed correctly, diving to his left to keep the scores level.
Krejci's Dismissal Proves Costly for Visitors
Wolves were reduced to ten men in the 61st minute when defender Ladislav Krejci received a second yellow card. The Czech international was initially booked just three minutes earlier, before being sent off for kicking the ball away and protesting vehemently to referee Tom Kirk that the ball remained in play.
Guessand Breaks Deadlock in Dramatic Fashion
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Guessand broke the deadlock on the stroke of normal time. The Aston Villa loanee, who joined Palace in January, scored his first goal for the club by prodding home Tyrick Mitchell's cutback in the 90th minute. The strike lifted a sour mood in south London that had been compounded by Thursday's disappointing Conference League draw at Zrinjski Mostar.
Glasner's Comments Spark Fan Discontent
Manager Oliver Glasner had challenged Palace supporters in his pre-match press conference, urging them to "stay humble" following vocal criticism of the Zrinjski result. Fans responded with a banner in the Holmesdale Road end reading "opportunities missed – board inept. Fans disrespected – Glasner finished" and used a second-half injury pause to chant "staying humble". Glasner acknowledged the tense atmosphere in a pre-match TV interview, taking some responsibility for the sentiment.
Match Highlights and Key Moments
The contest opened with a great chance for Palace when Yeremy Pino latched onto Yerson Mosquera's poor back pass but completely misdirected his lob. Palace came within inches of an opener from a Will Hughes corner, with Pino clipping the left post. Wolves created opportunities through Mateus Mane and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, but Henderson remained solid in goal. After Krejci's dismissal, Wolves managed to fend off Palace pressure until Guessand's late intervention secured all three points for the hosts.
