Mateta pounces, Mitchell lashes home: disciplined Crystal Palace claim derby win in east London

Crystal Palace’s unbeaten start rolled on with a 2-1 victory at West Ham, a result forged from set‑piece clarity and second‑half resilience. Jean‑Philippe Mateta’s close‑range header rewarded a dominant first half, Jarrod Bowen briefly levelled after the break, and Tyrick Mitchell’s clinical right‑foot volley restored a lead Oliver Glasner’s team protected with calm assurance.

Palace controlled long stretches, limited West Ham to no first‑half shots, and leaned into a plan that targeted corners. Even when the derby swung briefly after the interval, the visitors responded with poise—Chris Richards’ goalline intervention preserving parity at a critical moment before Mitchell supplied the winner.

Glasner’s set‑piece blueprint

The visitors arrived intent on turning deliveries into danger. Corners were a clear focus and the hosts’ unease was evident whenever the ball was hoisted into their area. While Alphonse Areola, recalled for Mads Hermansen, clawed one Kamada effort over and helped the first half‑dozen corners pass without damage, Palace kept coming.

The breakthrough came from the seventh corner on 37 minutes. Daichi Kamada’s delivery found Marc Guehi climbing to head against the bar via Areola’s touch, and Mateta reacted first to nod in from close range. It capped a half Palace controlled, the home crowd growing restive as West Ham failed to muster a shot.

Bar rattled, pressure absorbed, and a pivotal clearance

The second half began with Palace inches from a cushion. Adam Wharton’s corner was met by Maxence Lacroix, whose header smacked the bar. Within minutes, though, West Ham equalised when El Hadji Malick Diouf’s corner was deftly glanced in by Bowen to tilt the mood and the momentum.

Glasner’s side didn’t panic. They rode out the surge and relied on sharp defending at the right moments: when Lucas Paqueta’s effort looked destined for the net, Richards raced back to clear off the line and reset the tone. Palace’s shape snapped back into place and, with the storm weathered, the game turned again.

Mitchell’s right‑foot volley crowns the display

The winner showcased Palace’s alertness in broken moments. Wharton’s cross from the right should have been cleared but Konstantinos Mavropanos mistimed his leap, allowing the ball to drop. Mitchell, on his weaker right foot, struck a crisp volley past Areola to make it 2-1 and silence the stadium.

From there it was a consummate away performance. Palace denied territory, managed the tempo and, crucially, allowed West Ham no late openings. The balance of set‑piece bite and defensive control—so evident under Glasner—was the difference in a derby decided by details.

Adversity handled and momentum sustained

The victory came despite a setback with Yeremy Pino, withdrawn at half-time with a knee issue that will be assessed. Glasner praised his team’s composure—control in the first half, a cool response after the equaliser, and the conviction to turn the game back their way—while noting they might have killed it earlier.

In the away end it sounded like a celebration of a season gathering pace. “You’re getting sacked in the morning” echoed out as Palace shut the door, and the unbeaten rhythm continued with the assurance of a side clear on its methods: win the key moments, own the boxes, and see games home.