Madueke’s late penalty gives Chelsea victory

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Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace

Injury-hit Chelsea left it late in the London derby at Stamford Bridge to seize all three points against Crystal Palace.

Substitute Noni Madueke netted the winner from the penalty spot in the 89th minute on a night when the battling Eagles had looked set for a draw.

Despite the Blues going ahead with an early goal by Mykhailo Mudryk, the visitors responded with a shock equaliser at the end of the first half with a fine finish by Michael Olise.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the ninth minute, but Ian Maatsen, who had raced through the heart of the Palace defence, saw his goal bound effort cleared off the line by the vigilant Tyrick Mitchell.

However, the Blues made their early zest pay off by taking the lead just three minutes later.

Following a great run and failure by the visitors to track him, Malo Gusto was able to slip a low assist across goal from the left, where Mudryk was waiting to apply the simplest of finishes.

Roy Hodgson’s men managed to grab a leveller against the run of play in added time before the break. Olise found himself unmarked at the far post to fire home from a pinpoint, raking pass by Jordan Ayew.

Palace started the second half with purpose and Jean-Philippe Mateta outpaced the Blues defence to fired a terrific shot inches wide.

Chelsea’s frustration was fuelled when Nicolas Jackson – who had missed a great chance a couple of minutes earlier – converted instinctively from close range in the 75th minute only for the effort to be ruled out by VAR for offside.

The Blues earned a reprieve when they were awarded a penalty with a minute remaining, Ebere Eze impeding Madueke just inside the Palace penalty area. And the winger, who came off the bench to replace Christopher Nkunku, calmly stroked the ball past Eagles’ keeper Dean Henderson for the winner.

Chelsea: Petrovic, Disasi, Badiashile (Gilchrist 90+1), Mudryk (Broja 70), Jackson, Nkunku (Madueke 70), Gallagher, Caicedo, Colwill (Silva 56), Gusto, Maatsen (Lavia 57)