Jean-Philippe Mateta’s brilliant second-half strike secured Crystal Palace their first away league win of the season with a 1-0 triumph over fellow strugglers Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
The decisive moment came in the 59th minute when Mateta showcased his composure and skill, chipping the ball beautifully over Arijanet Muric for a goal of real quality in an otherwise scrappy affair. The French striker nearly doubled his tally later, but Muric produced an excellent save to keep Ipswich in the game. Despite that, Mateta’s goal proved sufficient to lift Palace three points clear of the relegation zone, while Ipswich remain in deep trouble, sitting second from bottom and two points adrift of safety.
Ipswich, still searching for their first home league win since returning to the Premier League, struggled once again to pose a consistent threat in the final third. Dean Henderson was called into action in the first half to deny Harry Clarke’s header, while Jacob Greaves struck the post late on, but opportunities were few and far between for Kieran McKenna’s side.
In contrast, Palace were defensively solid throughout and are now unbeaten in three games under Oliver Glasner, showing signs of a team beginning to find form. While Ipswich must improve quickly to avoid slipping further into trouble, the Eagles look to be moving in the right direction.
