Jordan Ayew scored a sensational 90th-minute winner to help Crystal Palace come from behind and beat West Ham at Selhurst Park.
The striker danced through the Hammers defence on the edge of the box and then brilliantly beat goalkeeper Roberto with a calm chip.
West Ham had taken the lead through Robert Snodgrass before Cheikhou Kouyate equalised against his former club.
Match-winner Ayew set up Kouyate’s goal with a knock-down which allowed the midfielder to sweep home a volley from seven yards.
Palace climb up to eighth with the win but West Ham fall to 17th, just a point above the relegation zone as pressure increases again on manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Roy Hodgson’s Palace is now just three points off the European places after a winner that could hardly have come in more spectacular fashion.
Ayew drove in from the right-wing, beat Declan Rice with a drag-back and dribbled around two more defenders before showing brilliant composure to send Selhurst Park delirious.
The Ghanaian unsurprisingly said afterwards it was one of the best goals he has scored in his career and Hodgson said it would “live long in the memory”.
A dreary first half did not hint at what was to come later, but the winner was deserved reward for Palace’s second-half performance.
Ayew and Luka Milivojevic had both gone close before Snodgrass’ opener which came against the run of play.
That said, the Scotland international could have scored again moments before Ayew’s goal if not for an excellent block from Jairo Riedewald.
Palace has rarely grabbed the headlines this season but they now go into the second half of the season with 26 points and the chance of just a second top-10 Premier League finish.
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Source – BBC
