Highlights, report and reaction: Brentford 2 Crystal Palace 1

Yoane Wissa scored the successful purpose as Brentford have been victorious on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, beating Crystal Palace 2-1 at Gtech Neighborhood Stadium.

Bryan Mbeumo’s left-footed end was cancelled out by an Ethan Pinnock personal purpose after the break, however Wissa netted on 76 minutes and the Bees withstood some late Palace stress to get the 2024/25 marketing campaign off to an ideal begin.

Thomas Frank opted for a similar aspect that lined up towards Wolfsburg within the Bees’ last pre-season pleasant.

New signing Fábio Carvalho was named among the many substitutes, whereas striker Ivan Toney wasn’t included within the matchday squad. “There’s some switch curiosity and due to that we determined to not contain him right this moment,” Frank revealed earlier than the sport.

The Bees began brightly, transferring the ball with confidence and successful an early nook, however the first probability fell to the guests.

Eberechi Eze displayed some neat footwork earlier than passing to Daichi Kamada, who sprayed the ball out to the correct flank. Daniel Muñoz’s cross was flicked on by the towering Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell dragged throughout purpose and extensive of Mark Flekken’s left put up.

On quarter-hour, Eze acquired the ball inside Brentford’s half and superior to the sting of the realm. Mitchell was in area to his left, however the England worldwide selected to go for purpose himself and noticed his shot blocked by Nathan Collins.

5 minutes later, Flekken was caught in possession by Kamada and the ball was labored again to Eze 20 yards from purpose. With Brentford’s no.1 out of place, Yoane Wissa made a tactical foul to carry down Eze and acquired a yellow card. From the ensuing free-kick, Eze bent the ball across the wall and narrowly extensive of the put up.

Andersen’s first-time effort from 25 yards was held by Flekken as Palace continued to press ahead.

Seconds later, in a second of controversy, Eze snuck a long-range free-kick into the underside nook however referee Sam Barrott noticed fouls on Collins and Christian Nørgaard and determined to blow his whistle earlier than the ball had hit the again of the web.

Simply earlier than the half-hour mark, and maybe towards the run of play, Brentford took the lead. Nørgaard, Wissa and Mbeumo mixed beautifully down the correct and the latter raced in direction of purpose. Marc Guéhi stepped throughout to halt Mbeumo and slim the angle, however the ahead reduce in on his left foot and drove onerous and low past Dean Henderson.

Nearly instantly after the restart, Mbeumo wriggled into area on the sting of the field and slid a go into the trail of Kristoffer Ajer. The Norwegian tried to elevate the ball over Hendersen however the Palace keeper stood his floor and stored it out.

On 42 minutes, Nørgaard lofted the ball into the left channel to launch Kevin Schade. In a transfer harking back to his purpose on this fixture final season, the ahead beat two defenders with a wise flip and pulled the set off. On this event, nonetheless, his curling effort flew simply extensive of the far put up.

Within the last motion of the half, Guéhi – who had been booked for a foul on Mads Roerslev moments earlier – performed a protracted ball ahead into the Brentford field. Kamada teed up Mateta with a brief go and the striker pulled his shot extensive.

Brentford’s centre-backs mixed deep in Palace territory in the beginning of the second half. Vitaly Janelt’s in-swinging cross from the correct was flicked on by Pinnock and Nathan Collins, at full stretch, couldn’t fairly handle to show the ball in direction of the goal.

On 50 minutes, a well-worked nook routine noticed Adam Wharton acquire the ball in area on the sting of Brentford’s field. The younger midfielder’s highly effective effort struck Roerslev after which Pinnock and dropped inches extensive.

On the different finish, Janelt peeled away from the gang as Mbeumo delivered a nook to the again put up and volleyed over the crossbar.

Flekken dived to his left to palm away Wharton’s 20-yard effort because the second half continued at a frantic tempo.

Palace levelled on 57 minutes. Mitchell’s deep cross from the left was headed again throughout purpose by Muñoz and Pinnock, in his makes an attempt to clear, inadvertently put the ball previous his personal keeper.

Two minutes later, Odsonne Édouard – who had changed Mateta on the break – lifted the ball over Flekken and into the again of the web however the purpose was dominated out for offside.

On 64 minutes, Wharton once more discovered area on the sting of the field and his fierce strike was pushed away by Flekken.

5 minutes later, Jensen protected the ball effectively on the sting of the guests’ space earlier than rolling a brief go to Janelt, who skewed extensive of the goal.

Édouard then cleared the crossbar with rising effort as the sport entered the ultimate quarter-hour on a knife edge.

And it was Frank’s aspect who seized the initiative. On 76 minutes, substitute Mikkel Damsgaard crossed from the correct and Collins, on the flip, received a shot away that took a slight deflection off Muñoz. Hendersen clawed the ball away however solely on to Wissa’s foot and the ball trickled over the road.

Collins then confirmed his price on the different finish, blocking Eze’s shot from outdoors the field which was then collected comfortably by Flekken.

The identical trio have been concerned once more seconds later. Mitchell labored the ball inside to Eze, the midfielder’s shot struck Collins and Flekken adjusted beautifully to acrobatically tip the ball over the bar.

Jordan Ayew shot extensive, and Eze noticed one other effort saved by Flekken – this time at his close to put up – as Palace pushed for an equaliser, however Brentford stood agency to take the factors on the opening weekend.

Brentford: Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Nørgaard, Janelt (Damsgaard 73), Jensen (Carvalho 83); Mbeumo (Mee 90), Schade (Lewis-Potter 73), Wissa (Onyeka 83)

Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Yarmoliuk, Peart-Harris, Trevitt

Crystal Palace: Henderson; Richards (Sarr 84), Andersen, Guéhi; Muñoz, Wharton (Lerma 74), Hughes (Doucouré 84), Mitchell; Kamada (Ayew 70), Eze; Mateta (Édouard HT)

Subs not used: Johnstone, Schlupp, Clyne, Riad

Attendance: 16,988

Frank: It was a very good win – however I need extra

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank could not conceal his elation after the Bees’ win on Sunday – however the boss insisted that he nonetheless desires extra from his aspect.

“It was a powerful sport, towards a very good Crystal Palace aspect,” he mentioned. “The primary 20 minutes, we began badly – or credit score to Palace for beginning effectively – then we grew again into the sport, and received higher and higher; we scored an unbelievable purpose. 

“The second half began a bit bit forwards and backwards, Palace most likely edged it, however, regardless of getting by way of that lower-performance spell, we conceded a purpose we must always have prevented. 

“We stored combating, stored staying within the sport, and the substitutions – particularly [Mikkel] Damsgaard and [Keane] Lewis-Potter – did very effectively, by way of altering the sport. After which we scored a really good purpose… there was a bit deflection however all of them depend! 

“It was a reasonably even sport however we managed to edge it, which is a giant high quality.”

He added: “A win is at all times vital, in each facet. It simply provides us a lift – however I need extra.”

Wissa: I’m a striker so I’ve to smell!

Yoane Wissa was happy with Brentford’s efficiency towards Crystal Palace – and put his successful purpose right down to “excellent timing”.

“I’m very pleased and very happy with the efficiency,” he mentioned.

“It was powerful a sport – it’s the primary time we’ve gained towards them – so I’m happy with the efficiency. It was an in depth sport and right this moment it went our approach.”

On his purpose, he added: “Like in coaching, observe, observe, observe each time. It was excellent timing. It simply hit me!

“It’s tough to remain onside, particularly when somebody goes to shoot. The keeper struggled to put it aside, and I’m a striker so I’ve to smell!”