Huddersfield 0-1 Crystal Palace: Wilfried Zaha leads Palace to victory at Huddersfield
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Zaha returned to the Palace side after missing the Southampton defeat with a groin strain
Wilfried Zaha produced a moment of brilliance on his return to the team as Crystal Palace earned their second win of the season against Huddersfield.
Halfway through September is far too early to be labelling matches six-pointers, but this was an encounter with a fiery edge to it from the start.
It looked as though it might be a frustrating afternoon for Zaha, who missed Palace's defeat to Southampton before the international break with a groin injury, after he was booked for a late tackle on Florent Hadergjonaj.
That foul was a reaction to being hauled to the ground by Mathias Jorgensen, but Zaha regained his composure and in the 38th minute knocked the ball between two defenders before smashing past Jonas Lossl.
The hosts offered a threat in the second half, flooding the Palace box with high crosses, and Aaron Mooy came close to finding the equaliser only to see his well-struck volley clatter off a post.
Huddersfield's wait for their first win of the season continues but Palace move up to 11th in the table.
Zaha papers over Palace's defensive cracks
Very satisfying to hold on for win - Hodgson
The 25-year-old Ivorian has scored 75% of Palace's goals in the Premier League this season, and his third of the campaign only emphasised his importance to this side.
On another day Palace could have found themselves behind before their talisman took centre stage, as Huddersfield delivered 23 crosses into the Palace box from open play.
Had the hosts been more clinical, their wait for a first victory might now be over.
Steve Mounie in particular was a constant aerial threat for Huddersfield, and the Benin international had the best chance to open the scoring in the early exchanges, his header from close range sailing over the bar.
David Wagner's men had four headed efforts at goal, and Philip Billing's side-foot finish from a nod down found the net only to be ruled out for a foul in the area.
Palace looked nervy at the back and appeared bereft of leadership all afternoon, but in Zaha they have an invaluable get-out-of-jail-free card.
Goals remain a problem for the Terriers
Huddersfield 'so unlucky' against Palace - Wagner
Huddersfield boss Wagner admitted after the game that goals are "something we have to work on" - but that is an understatement.
The West Yorkshire club have failed to score in 24 of their last 43 Premier League games - the most of any club.
The hosts will be buoyed by their second-half performance after having more than twice the number of efforts on goal than their opponents could manage - 15 against seven - but two goals from six games in all competitions is a major cause for concern.
The best of their chances fell to Mooy, whose well-struck volley showcased excellent technique but agonisingly found the post, while Hadergjonaj's low strike moments later lacked the conviction to trouble Wayne Hennessey.
Wagner's men exposed a weakness in the Palace defence from high balls but they failed to capitalise on the visitors' hesitancy, and this must go down as a golden opportunity spurned to take all three points.
Man of the match - Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
No disputing this one - Wilfried Zaha was the difference as his third goal of the season claimed all three points for Roy Hodgson
'If we perform like we did we know we will get points' - what they said
Huddersfield manager David Wagner: "You don't always get what you deserve. This was our best performance of the season. We created so many good opportunities. We absolutely dominated the control of the game but didn't use our opportunities and were unlucky for sure.
"Performance-wise it was very good but the result of course, is frustrating. If we perform like we did again then we know we will get the points.
"They had one magic moment from Wilfried Zaha but we should have defended better. In the last three games we have looked very solid and like we can create something, but the mood is frustration at the minute."
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson: "We played well throughout the game but as you go into that last 15 minutes with a one-goal margin you are always worried. We had a stroke of fortune when their shot hit the post but we controlled the game. We have a win and that is the most important thing."
On Zaha: "He was a constant threat. I thought he was close to scoring more than one goal. But it is nice that he is the match-winner and that is was such a good goal. I am sure it will be one of the better goals of the week."
The away side prevail again - the stats
The away team has won all three of the Premier League meetings between Huddersfield and Crystal Palace, making it the fixture with the best 100% record for away team victories in the competition's history.
Huddersfield are without a win in nine Premier League games (D4 L5), their longest run without a victory in league football since September 2015 (10).
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has netted eight goals in his last 10 Premier League games, as many as in his previous 44.
Since the start of last season, Crystal Palace have averaged 1.5 points per game when Zaha has played (33 games), compared to no points when he has been involved (10 games).
What's next?
Crystal Palace host Newcastle on Saturday, 22 September (15:00 BST), while Huddersfield travel to Leicester City at the same time.
- Published15 September 2018
