In a significant setback to Manchester City’s title defense, a late 95th-minute penalty by Michael Olise secured a crucial point for Crystal Palace, adding further challenges to City’s pursuit of retaining their championship.
Manchester City initially held a 2-0 lead with goals from Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis, seemingly on course for a comfortable victory. However, their control wavered when Jean-Philippe Mateta scored, narrowing the lead with 14 minutes left in the match.
The drama continued in stoppage time when Phil Foden fouled Mateta while attempting to clear, prompting referee Paul Tierney to award a penalty.
Michael Olise confidently converted the penalty, sending the ball past Ederson and igniting jubilant celebrations among the away fans. This moment of success came after their team had been held back for a significant portion of the match.
City’s third consecutive home draw places the defending champions in fourth position, trailing leaders Liverpool by three points in the standings.
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Despite winning only one of their last 10 games, Crystal Palace, under Roy Hodgson, likely viewed this hard-fought draw as a significant accomplishment. Particularly after last week’s loss to a stoppage-time goal by Liverpool, this result must have felt akin to a victory, and the celebration certainly reflected that sentiment.
Man City’s Struggle to Seal Victories
Manchester City’s recent league form raises concerns as they’ve managed just one win in their last six games. The challenge deepens as they head to Saudi Arabia for the Fifa Club World Cup next week, risking further loss of ground.
Despite initially dominating the game and securing a 2-0 lead, Pep Guardiola’s team once again faced the consequences of their inability to finish off opponents. Patience was key against Palace’s solid defense, and the breakthrough moment involved Foden creating space for Grealish, leading to a goal after a VAR check for potential offside.
While City had opportunities to extend their lead, including a disallowed goal, their cushion was insufficient to thwart Palace’s unexpected comeback.
Palace’s Emotional Rollercoaster
Palace, having experienced the agony of conceding a late goal last week, found themselves in a contrasting scenario of elation this time. Despite missing key players due to injury, they posed intermittent threats to City, notably when Gvardiol’s slip allowed Mateta a clear run just before half-time.
Ederson’s risky challenge resulted in a booking and a narrowly missed free-kick for Palace. The Eagles, defending deep and counter-attacking, seemed unlikely to score until Schlupp’s play set up Mateta to reduce the deficit.
In stoppage time, with City showing signs of panic, Foden’s misjudged swing led to contact with Mateta. Olise capitalized on the opportunity, confidently converting a penalty and securing a crucial point for Palace, turning their previous agony into celebration.
