Report & Highlights: Palace earn dramatic point following six-goal classic

Summary:

• No changes for Palace from that started against Everton before the international break, with Oliver Glasner recalling Romain Esse and Nathaniel Clyne to the substitutes bench.
• 2: Semenyo picks up an early booking for a cynical foul on Sarr.
• 4: Mateta goes close with Palace’s first shot on target of the afternoon.
• 8 – GOAL: Bournemouth strike first when Kroupi heads home following a corner.
• 26: Henderson makes a top class save to deny Semenyo Bournemouth’s second.
• 27: Mateta heads inches wide after a perfect Pino cross.
• 38 – GOAL: Kroupi fires home a second goal of the afternoon after a brilliant solo run from Semenyo.
• HT: PALACE 0-2 BOURNEMOUTH
• 55: VAR reviews a possible red card for Bournemouth after Sarr is taken out by Senesi, but the decision stands following on-field review.
• 61: Semenyo fires just wide.
• 64 – GOAL: Mateta converts from close-range, with the goal awarded after a VAR check for offside.
• 69 – GOAL: Mateta slides in at the back post to bring Palace level.
• 89 – GOAL: Substitute Christie looks to have won it for Bournemouth.
• 90 + 7 GOAL: Mateta converts a penalty after Guéhi is brought down to ensure Palace salvage a point.
• FT: PALACE 3-3 BOURNEMOUTH

Attempting to make it ten home games without defeat in the Premier League, Palace’s starting line-up was the same as the XI that begun at Everton in our previous outing.

The Eagles initially started brightly. Jean-Philippe Mateta getting a run on the visiting defence and forcing Djordje Petrovic to react quickly and make a low save down to his right.

Bournemouth, who hadn’t lost since the opening weekend of the season, looked a little nervy, but managed to get themselves in front with the game only seven minutes old.

Eli Kroupi was unmarked at the back post from a corner and steered home following the initial flick-on from close range. It was a goal that hadn’t looked on the cards but gave the visitors the confidence to seize the initiative.

Midfielder Alex Scott went extremely close to making it two, firing a long-range effort just narrowly over the bar with Dean Henderson beaten.

Palace did go close in the 22nd minute, when Tyrick Mitchell showed clever footwork but flashing a shot at Petrovic, with the Bournemouth keeper managing to beat the ball away. With both sides looking capable of creating chances, the rest of the first-half was end-to-end.

Antoine Semenyo forced an particularly excellent stop from Henderson after cutting inside from the left-wing.

But the Eagles went close to an instant response. Yeremy Pino produced a wonderful curling cross, met by the head of Mateta.

Petrovic didn’t have time to respond, but sadly the ball landed just wide of the post.

The Cherries continued to leave players forward for the counter-attack and it paid off for them in the 38th minute.

The dangerous Semenyo moved the ball at pace down the left channel and his deflected cross sat up perfectly for Kroupi. His low effort eluded Henderson and gave the visitors a two-goal lead.

Mateta again went close just before the interval, played in by an overhead kick from Guéhi. The Frenchman got his shot in, but Petrovic responded with a low block at his near post.

Palace were out quickly after half-time and managed to get the upper hand. Adam Wharton saw his shot blocked before Ismaïla Sarr stretched the Bournemouth defence, forcing a lunging challenge from Marcos Senesi.

The Senegal forward was brought down, with the referee’s initial decision of a yellow card reviewed by the VAR.

However, after a lengthy delay, that included Jarred Gillett going over to look at the monitor, the decision stood.

Bournemouth still carried at threat at the other end. Justin Kluivert picked out Semenyo just after the hour mark, a powerful shot from the Ghana international just over the bar.

Eddie Nketiah was introduced, replacing Yeremy Pino and almost immediately Palace managed to get back in the game.

Mateta tucked home from close range, only for joy to be cut short by the linesman’s flag. Yet after another VAR review showed the French forward was clearly onside, the goal was given.

Within five minutes Palace were back on level terms through the same source. Daichi Kamada’s excellent cross-field pass was met by Daniel Muñoz at the back post, who played the ball across the front of goal. Sliding in at the back post was Mateta, sending Selhurst into a state of bedlam.

At this point only one side looked likely to claim three points, with Sarr having another strong shout for a penalty turned down and Nketiah unsettling the Bournemouth backline.

The latter had the ball in the net in the 78th minute only to be denied by the offside flag.

A superb last-ditch clearance from Muñoz denied Bournemouth retaking the lead late on as both sides went for a winner.

But the Cherries would not be denied in the 89th minute. A fluid move down the Bournemouth left ended with captain Marcus Tavernier picking out substitute Christie from close-range.

Yet if there’s one thing we learnt about Palace in the last home game, it's that this team never know when they're beaten.

When a late corner was launched into the Bournemouth box, Marc Guéhi was hauled to the floor by Bournemouth's Bafode Diakite. Gillett pointed to the spot and, after yet another VAR check, Palace had a penalty.

Mateta kept his cool, sending Petrovic the wrong way to get Palace level again in the 97th minute, securing the match ball with his hat-trick.

The France forward could have even won it in the dying seconds, but could only blaze over from a few yards out following Nketiah’s cross.

In the end, following a breathless afternoon in South London, it ended 3-3 – with Palace deservedly taking a point and making it ten home league games without defeat.

We return to action in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night against Larnaca.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Muñoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi, Mitchell, Kamada, Wharton, Pino (Nketiah, 64), Sarr, Mateta.

Subs: Benítez (GK), Canvot, Clyne, Sosa, Devenny, Lerma, Hughes, Esse.

Bournemouth: Petrovic (GK), Jimenez (Hill, 75), Truffert, Senesi, Kroupi (Adli, 75), Scott (Christie, 67), Diakite, Adams, Tavernier (Cook, 91), Kluivert (Gannon-Doak, 75), Semenyo.

Subs: Dennis (GK), Araujo, Smith, Milosavljevic.

AS IT HAPPENED