Jean-Philippe Mateta finished last season in prolific form and the striker salvaged a late draw for Crystal Palace, with his second goal of the game, a 92nd-minute penalty, denying Leicester their first win back in the Premier League. Mateta struck nine goals in his final six games of the previous campaign, during an enterprising run-in under Oliver Glasner, and his importance was highlighted as after his double prevented a troubling defeat.
The evergreen 37-year-old Jamie Vardy added his second goal of the campaign for Leicester to offer encouragement for Steve Cooper of confounding widespread predictions of a swift return to the Championship. Vardy and Stephy Mavididi pounced to take advantage of Palace’s porous defending and put Leicester in charge.
But Mateta pulled one back immediately, after a VAR check ruled the striker was not offside. Palace appeared to be running out of ideas but were handed an injury-time penalty after Conor Coady’s reckless tackle brought down Ismaïla Sarr. Mateta tucked home the equaliser for a gut punch to Leicester after looking on course for a gritty victory. Both teams remain without a league win but Palace will be relieved after recovering from a two-goal deficit.
Cooper, who wanted to see the image of Palace’s first goal for clarity of the onside decision, said: “It does feel like a defeat. I thought we were really good in the first half to come away to a good team like Palace and play like we did.
“They chucked everything at us and as well as Mads [Hermansen] played, he’s not had to make save after save. I never really felt like a goal was coming.”
Glasner handed Maxence Lacroix and Eddie Nketiah their debuts in place of Chris Richards and Daichi Kamada. Jordan Ayew lined up against his former club after leaving Selhurst Park for Leicester in the summer.
And he spurned a glaring opportunity inside the first five minutes, sending his half-volley over the crossbar from Wilfred Ndidi’s cross. Nketiah was looking lively, following his move from Arsenal, but the forward was unable to direct his header from Tyrick Mitchell’s cross on target.
Palace were starting to threaten and Eberechi Eze, fresh from featuring for England over the international break, set up Daniel Muñoz but the Colombian was denied by Wout Faes’s sliding tackle.
Leicester pounced for the opening goal midway through the half, with Ndidi chipping the ball over the defence for Vardy who beat Marc Guéhi to the ball before rounding Dean Henderson to slot into the empty net. The home frustration was growing in a match which marked 100 years of football at Selhurst Park.
Nketiah appeared Palace’s most likely scorer and the 25-year-old attempted an ambitious overhead kick but his effort missed the target. Leicester were increasingly under pressure but the newly-promoted club escaped after Eze danced his way into the area and drilled his shot narrowly past Hermansen’s post.
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Leicester’s attacks were less frequent but still carried a threat on the break and Mavididi should have doubled their lead after Vardy released him when Guéhi completely missed a long ball. The winger blasted his shot wide and Palace were relieved to avoid conceding a second.
Palace started the second half disastrously to fall further behind. James Justin’s cross was not dealt with by Nathaniel Clyne and Mavididi rammed the ball home from close range following another assist from Ndidi.
The hosts mustered an immediate response with Mateta turning in Mitchell’s cross. The offside flag went up but after a lengthy VAR check, Justin was ruled to be playing the striker onside and Palace gave themselves a lifeline.
Palace were pushing for an equaliser and Nketiah came close as he flashed a strike just past Hermansen’s post. At the other end, Leicester were still dangerous and Skipp exchanged passes with Vardy but Henderson was alert to avert the danger.
Glasner’s side searched desperately for an equaliser and were awarded a late penalty with the substitute Coady bringing down the former Watford winger Sarr. Mateta cooly sent Hermansen the wrong way and Palace avoided defeat with Leicester rueing their recklessness.
Glasner, whose side have yet to keep a clean sheet in the league, said: “It doesn’t feel like a win, but it was a great reaction after being 2-0 down.
“We conceded the goals too easily especially the first. That’s what we have to improve. It’s difficult to win a game if you’re conceding two goals.”
