Jean-Philippe Mateta netted a second-half brace as Crystal Palace claimed a 2-0 win over 10-man West Ham United at the London Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday. Mateta opened the scoring in the 48th minute, firing a powerful shot into the bottom corner after a brilliant assist from Eberechi Eze.
West Ham’s chances were further hampered in the 80th minute when Konstantinos Mavropanos was sent off for a reckless challenge on Mateta, earning a second yellow card. Palace capitalized late, with Mateta converting a penalty in the 89th minute after Eddie Nketiah was fouled by West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
The victory lifted Palace to 11th in the Premier League, with 27 points from 22 matches, while West Ham remain 14th with 26 points. West Ham are missing key players like Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Fullkrug, and Crysencio Summerville due to injury, exposing their need for a new striker. Although Danny Ings was brought on in the second half, he struggled to make an impact, and West Ham failed to register a single shot on target throughout the match.
In contrast, Mateta continues his excellent form, now with 11 goals for the season, including eight in the Premier League. His brace at the London Stadium was his fourth goal in his last three top-flight appearances, and his clinical finishing proved to be the difference.
West Ham vs. Palace Highlights:
48th min: West Ham 0-1 Palace (Jean-Philippe Mateta)
Mateta opens the scoring with a fine finish after Eze’s assist.
80th min: Konstantinos Mavropanos (West Ham) red card
Mavropanos is sent off for a foul on Mateta, leaving West Ham with 10 men.
89th min: West Ham 0-2 Palace (Jean-Philippe Mateta, penalty)
Mateta converts a penalty after Nketiah is fouled by Fabianski.
Man of the Match – Eberechi Eze
While Mateta’s two goals were crucial, Eze’s overall performance was exceptional. The midfielder provided his fifth assist of the season and was key in Palace’s attacking play, completing 97% of his passes and contributing defensively with two tackles. His creativity and work rate make him one of the standout performers of the match.
Match Stats:
Possession: West Ham 53% – 47% Palace
Shots: West Ham 7 – 11 Palace
Shots on Target: West Ham 0 – 7 Palace
Corners: West Ham 2 – 4 Palace
Fouls: West Ham 13 – 10 Palace
What’s Next?
Palace will aim for their fourth consecutive win in all competitions when they host Brentford next Sunday. West Ham, meanwhile, will look to bounce back from this disappointing defeat with a trip to Aston Villa, where they will seek revenge for a 2-1 loss in the FA Cup earlier this month.
