Crystal Palace 2-1 Wolves: Wilfried Zaha winner helps Eagles come from behind for victory

Wilfried Zaha's well-taken winner capped a classy Crystal Palace comeback as the Eagles recorded back-to-back home victories by beating managerless Wolves.

Adama Traore's header earned the visitors a deserved half-time lead that was almost doubled when Ruben Neves hit the post right on the stroke of half-time at Selhurst Park.

But Palace never looked back once Eberechi Eze nodded them level from Michael Olise's pinpoint cross just 63 seconds into the second half.

Zaha then took Odsonne Edouard's pass in his stride before drilling past Jose Sa for his fifth goal of the season to lift Palace up to 10th place in the Premier League table.

Wolves, linked with former Ajax and Borussia Dortmund boss Peter Bosz as the latest name in their search for a successor to Bruno Lage, remain 17th, just one point above the relegation places.

They came close to rescuing a point in London but Neves' late strike was superbly beaten away by Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

Entertaining affair surpasses humble expectations

Given Palace had scored just four goals in their previous five games and Wolves had only managed that meagre tally all season, a thriller was not exactly expected but both sides served up a pleasant surprise.

The tone was set after just four minutes as Cheick Doucoure rattled Wolves' post from 20 yards and Guaita had to react smartly to keep out Diego Costa at the other end soon after.

Wolves then opened the scoring to end an away goal drought just five minutes shy of eight hours - 475 minutes to be precise - dating back to the opening day of the season.

It was worth the wait as 20-year-old full-back Hugo Bueno, making his first Wanderers start, put in a teasing deep cross for Traore to bury a header inside Guaita's near post.

However, the game turned either side of the interval as Neves' 25-yard free-kick came back off the post just before the break and Eze headed Palace level right after the restart.

If that was a cool finish, Zaha trumped it with the winner, sending Sa the wrong way after a clever touch from Edouard's low ball afforded him the freedom of the Wolves box.

Zaha shines for comeback kings Palace

Only four players have scored more Premier League goals in 2022 than Ivorian international Zaha's 14 - Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Ivan Toney and Erling Haaland.

Wolves are only too aware of his talents - Zaha netted in both of Palace's 2-0 victories against them last season and followed that up with the winner here.

He provided Palace with the magic in the final third that Wolves, for all their industry, are lacking, with Costa often an isolated figure after missing that early chance to open his Wanderers account.

The Eagles are making a habit of turnarounds, all three of their league wins this season - the others coming against Aston Villa and Leeds - have seen them fall behind first at home.

For Wolves, meanwhile, an awful away run of 10 games without a win goes on, even if there were positives for caretaker managerial duo Steve Davis and James Collins to draw on.

They will likely remain in charge for Sunday's important home game against fellow strugglers Leicester City, by which time Wolves could sit in the bottom three if other midweek results go against them.

Player of the match

EzeEberechi Eze

Crystal Palace

Squad number10Player nameEze

Squad number11Player nameZaha

Squad number22Player nameÉdouard

Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew

Squad number7Player nameOlise

Squad number16Player nameAndersen

Squad number28Player nameDoucouré

Squad number14Player nameMateta

Squad number6Player nameGuéhi

Squad number44Player nameRiedewald

Squad number13Player nameGuaita

Squad number3Player nameMitchell

Squad number15Player nameSchlupp

Squad number2Player nameWard

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Squad number37Player nameTraoré

Squad number8Player nameRúben Neves

Squad number64Player nameBueno

Squad number29Player nameDiego Costa

Squad number6Player nameTraoré

Squad number4Player nameCollins

Squad number1Player nameJosé Sá

Squad number22Player nameNélson Semedo

Squad number23Player nameKilman

Squad number27Player nameMatheus Nunes

Squad number10Player nameDaniel Podence

Squad number59Player nameHodge

Squad number28Player nameJoão Moutinho

Squad number17Player nameGonçalo Guedes

Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-Chan

Line-ups

Crystal Palace

Formation 4-3-3

13Guaita

2Ward16Andersen6Guéhi3Mitchell

15Schlupp28Doucouré10Eze

7Olise22Édouard11Zaha

Substitutes

Wolves

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Malheiro de Sá

22Nélson Semedo4Collins23Kilman64Bueno

6Traoré8Neves

37Traoré27Nunes10Podence

29Diego Costa

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Crystal Palace 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1.

Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 2, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1.

Foul by Jeffrey Schlupp (Crystal Palace).

Daniel Podence (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Hwang Hee-Chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card.

Foul by Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace).

Hwang Hee-Chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jairo Riedewald replaces Eberechi Eze.

Offside, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Joseph Hodge tries a through ball, but Gonçalo Guedes is caught offside.

Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).

Daniel Podence (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Gonçalo Guedes (Wolverhampton Wanderers).

Attempt saved. Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Daniel Podence.

Attempt missed. Gonçalo Guedes (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.

Attempt missed. João Moutinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high.

Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jean-Philippe Mateta replaces Odsonne Édouard.

Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jordan Ayew replaces Michael Olise.

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