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Ben Chilwell scores late winner as Crystal Palace hit back to beat Fulham
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- Ben Chilwell scores late winner as Crystal Palace hit back to beat Fulham
Ben Chilwell celebrated his return to Crystal Palace with a late winner in their 3-2 comeback victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The deadline-day signing from Strasbourg , who spent half of the 2024-25 season on loan from Chelsea at Selhurst Park, was introduced as a 74th-minute substitute and found the back of the net three minutes later.
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Josh King opened the scoring for the hosts in the 11th minute before Tyrick Mitchell levelled with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
Cesar Palacios opened his Premier League account three minutes before half-time to restore Fulham's lead, but Mitchell equalised again after the break and Chilwell struck late on to seal a first win for new Palace boss Pierre Sage.
The hosts took the lead when Oscar Bobb 's cutback evaded the outstretched toe of Adam Wharton to reach King.
The 19-year-old's shot might not have beaten Dean Henderson had it not taken a deflection off Jaydee Canvot , but it was enough to make the angle too awkward for the Palace captain.
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Daichi Kamada thought he had managed an instant reply after some good link-up play between Eddie Nketiah and Yeremy Pino , but a VAR check determined the Japan international was offside.
There was determined work on the ground from Axel Disasi – one of Sage's 11 summer additions – to dig out the ball out and find Chris Richards , who was denied by Bernd Leno in the 18th minute.
Two good blocks by another Palace newcomer, Anan Khalaili, kept Fulham at bay, but the visitors continued to lack a clinical finish at the other end.
Richards got in the way of a long-range Gonzalo Garcia effort just after the half-hour, five minutes before Mitchell brought Palace level.
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Kamada found Pino and the Spain international spotted Mitchell on the left. He held off former team-mate Joachim Andersen and fired inside the near post.
Palacios restored Fulham's lead in the 42nd minute with a goal instigated by King, who raced past Richards on the left and delivered a low cross.
Henderson palmed away Garcia's initial backheel but could not keep out the follow-up as the young Spanish midfielder scored with a low finish.
Palace wanted a penalty when Nketiah was challenged just before half time, but VAR disagreed.
Mitchell levelled again in the 54th minute after a threatening run down the left.
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Garcia got in the way of the initial ball, but the attempted clearance bounced favourably towards Mitchell, whose next touch trickled over the line.
Henderson made two sharp saves to deny Palacios and Bobb before the former was replaced by Sander Berge in the 62nd minute.
Chilwell had only just come on when Khalaili, who had been played through, was taken out by Leno.
Chilwell ultimately got hold of the loose ball, re-introducing himself to the travelling support with a volley into the bottom corner.
Fulham pushed for a late equaliser, but Palace held firm, benefitting from an excellent save in stoppage time to leave the Cottagers still in search of a first victory of the season.
