Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a stunning winner as Crystal Palace earned their first Premier League away win of the season by beating Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
The sides were level on nine points towards the foot of the table at kick-off, and it was the Eagles who produced the moment of top quality that secured a valuable win.
Mateta’s goal came in the 59th minute. The Palace striker had an early role in the goal with a flick-on in his own half before charging forward, dribbling past defender Jacob Greaves and chipping past Arijanet Muric in the Ipswich goal from a testing angle.
The game had been lacking in such class until that point with not many chances created in the first half.
It had been most notable before the goal for Palace captain Marc Guehi going against Football Association guidance from earlier in the day by writing a religious message on his rainbow armband for the second game in a row.
The armbands are being worn by Premier League skippers as part of the Stonewall charity’s Rainbow Laces campaign, showing support for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport.
Ipswich skipper Sam Morsy was the only captain in the league to not wear the rainbow armband at the weekend and he did not wear it again, with his club having cited his religious beliefs for his choice.
Mateta could have doubled Palace’s lead after the breakthrough when he was played through on goal by Eberechi Eze, but he fired straight at Muric.
Before this match Ipswich had only lost three of their past 45 league matches at Portman Road (W28, D14) but the outcome means they are still the only side without a Premier League home victory this season (D4, L3).
Liam Delap, one of the bright sparks for Ipswich, was again dangerous but he could not find a goal up against Palace’s back three.
The win moves Palace up to 16th place and means that despite a tricky start to the season, Oliver Glasner’s side have now lost just once in six matches.
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