WILFRIED ZAHA continued his fine start to the season with a brace to drag Crystal Palace from a goal down and claim a first win of the campaign against Aston Villa.
Having bagged the opener at Liverpool on Monday night, Zaha looked at his best back on home turf.
Serenaded even before a ball was kicked, the Eagles star man scored a stunning solo goal moments after Ollie Watkins had opened the scoring.
He then kept his cool to slot home immediately after his second-half penalty had been saved before Jean-Phillipe Mateta secured the victory.
With the window still open and his contract up at the end of the year, questions will always hover over Palace’s hometown hero.
But for now Palace fans will just hope they can enjoy another rip-roaring year of their talisman, who is back to his best under Patrick Vieira.
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Only Tottenham duo Heung-min Son and Harry Kane have scored more Prem goals than Zaha in 2022.
Palace and Zaha had to fight back from a slow start, however.
Leon Bailey, one of three Aston Villa changes, played a key role in the early opener, his deft header directing Tyrone Mings’ long ball through the Palace defence and into the path of Watkins.
The England striker had timed his run perfectly and fired a first-time finish low past Vicente Guaita to open his account for the season.
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Zaha, though, is not one to ever be knowingly outdone and within two minutes offered his reply to Watkins’ fine finish with one of his own on the counter.
The Palace winger collected the ball from Edouard’s flick on the halfway line before going on a rampage.
He left Matty Cash in the dust before dragging Ezri Konsa wide and lashing the ball across Emiliano Martinez and into the far corner with his weaker left foot.
The Ivory Coast international was causing all sorts of bother down the left and Cash had to resort to clattering the winger, earning a ticking off from referee, Andy Madley.
Palace thought they had taken the lead from the resulting free-kick when Jeffrey Schlupp turned in Edouard’s cross.
Celebrations were cut short by VAR however, with Stockley Park spotting that Edouard was narrowly offside from the set piece.
Zaha was everywhere in the first half, nipping in behind and cutting the ball back for Jordan Ayew whose low shot was well stopped by Martinez.
Palace were reminded of the need to take their chances when on top minutes before the break when Buendia latched onto Cash’s cross 12-yards out and drew a stop from Guaita.
Either side of the Spaniard and Villa would have been ahead going into the interval.
Villa offered a threat after the break too – Bailey sending a dipping shot onto the bar.
After Edouard had wasted a fine chance from Ayew’s cut-back, Palace were handed a penalty by Lucas Dinge and VAR.
The French full-back was penalised for raising his hand to block Marc Guehi’s header from Eberechi Eze’s corner, though the Villa man’s arm was just a yard from the Palace defender.
Zaha’s spot kick was saved by Martinez before the Palace star slotted home the rebound and enraged the Villa keeper with a few choice words.
While the ruling around handball remains muddled and confusing and offered Villa excuses for a moan and groan – they could not grumble about the result.
The hosts were streets ahead of Villa here, confident and eye catching on the ball.
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Palace put the three points out of reach with a wonderful move to tee up Mateta – who bagged with his first touch a minute after coming on.
Tyrick Mitchell exchanged a swift one-two with Zaha down the left before bending a cross around Mings and into the path of Mateta, who prodded in to complete a flowing move.
Vieira has ensured there are a fair few more threats in this Palace team than during the Roy Hodgson days – but there is little doubt that Zaha remains the most dangerous of them all.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
