Bournemouth 0-2 Crystal Palace: Ayew and Eze goals see Eagles climb to 11th

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Bournemouth 0-2 Crystal Palace: Goals from Ayew and Eze see Patrick Vieira’s side move up to 11th with a comfortable South Coast win as the Cherries remain just three points above the relegation zone

There are always teams across the league who need a win and Bournemouth and Crystal Palace knew they could use three points to end the year after defeats earlier in the week.

However, the beauty of the Christmas period is that there is always another game just around the corner and for Patrick Vieira, it was two well-crafted corners that gave his Palace side a well-deserved victory on the South Coast.

Having gone two consecutive Premier League games without a shot on goal, the thousand or so Palace fans who had made the trip sarcastically cheered their first try on goal when Mark Travers saved Marc Guehi’s attempt a quarter of an hour later.

Crystal Palace defeated Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon to sit 11th in the league table

Crystal Palace defeated Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon to sit 11th in the league table

Match facts: Bournemouth v Crystal Palace at the Vitality

Bournemouth (4-4-2): crossbars; Smith, Senesi, Kelly, Zemura (Rothwell 70); Anthony (Christie 80), Cook (Lowe 80), Lerma, Billing (Dembele 38); Solanke, Moore.

Substitutes: Flat; Stacey, Mepham, Stephens, Pearson.

Yellow cards: Kelly 25, Anthony 26, Solanke 67, Senesi 90.

Manager: Gary O’Neil.

Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Ward; Doucoure, Schlupp; Ayew (Mateta 74), Olise (Hughes 88), Eze (Edouard 74); Zaha.

Substitutes: Butlands; Richards, Riedewald, Ozoh, Ebiowei, Gordon.

Goals: Ayew 19, Eze 36.

Yellow cards: Anderson 87.

Manager: Patrick Vieira.

Referee: Andre Marriner.

Attendance: 9,927.

But minutes later they were celebrating properly when Michael Olise’s shot picked out Jordan Ayew, who was wide open in the box and headed in with ease. It was a woeful defence, as Bournemouth conceded their 35th goal of the season, which, unsurprisingly, is more than any other team in the league.

The visitors felt the game was there for the taking as Olise then drove down the right before cutting in and forcing an outstretched Travers into a save.

Just after half an hour, Gary O’Neil’s side felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Cheick Doucoure brought down Kieffer Moore in the box, but referee Andre Marriner thought otherwise.

The replays showed contact, but there was still not enough to warrant a VAR review if Marriner had given the penalty, it most likely would not have been disallowed.

As it was, luck was on Palace’s side and a minute later they made the most of it to double their lead with another set piece. Bournemouth were again caught sleeping from a corner, this time from the other side, as Olise picked out Eberechi Eze on the edge of the box.

Eze struck the ball sweetly with his right foot and was helped by a deflection as the ball crashed into the back of the net.

For new owner Bill Foley, that meant enough for the first half when cameras showed him walking back to the hospitality section.

Before the match, Foley and Hollywood actor Michael B Jordan (who owns a minority stake in the club) were greeted by local fans after the 78-year-old American businessman completed his £100m acquisition during the World Cup. of the world.

It’s always fascinating to think about what must be going through the minds of foreign billionaire owners when they come to a game in England and this freezing cold Saturday afternoon in the pouring rain was at least an old school reminder that some elements of the Premier League will never change. .

For all their plans for a multi-club model in the long term, survival in the Premier League is of paramount importance in the short term.

Foley’s first visit to Vitality Stadium in October saw Bournemouth come from behind to beat Leicester City, but in the presence of Jordan, perhaps best known for his role in Creed (the Rocky Balboa sequel), there would be no Hollywood. -esque comeback this time.

They were more encouraging after the break, as Vicente Guaita was forced to save Dominic Solanke before Moore failed to connect with the rebound. But Gary O’Neil’s side lacked that finesse in the final third despite changing form to three back.

It is now seven losses in his last eight for the Cherries and after O’Neil’s strong start to life as temporary manager, unbeaten in his first six games in charge, he will be hoping that the New Year brings a change in fortunes, as well as a much-needed backup in the transfer window.

For the Eagles, it was the first Premier League win outside the capital since April and after coming into the game with one win in their last nine away games, this was a lovely end to the year.