Ab’s fab for Blues in the end despite Zaha magic

CHELSEA boosted their Champions League hopes but were pushed all the way after Wilfried Zaha scored a magical goal for Crystal Palace.

Tammy Abraham’s fine second-half finish proved decisive but what looked like a routine victory when the Blues led 2-0 was anything but after a sensational strike from Zaha.

And Frank Lampard’s side had a lucky escape deep into stoppage time after Abraham had lost the ball with Scott Dann’s header hitting the post, denying Palace a deserved point.

Chelsea got off to a flying start when Willian picked out Olivier Giroud for a simple finish. To make matters worse for Palace, Gary Cahill had pulled up injured in the build-up to the goal and the former Chelsea man was forced off injured in the sixth minute.

Willian also set up the second after a one-two with Giroud, feeding Christian Pulisic who finished brilliantly.

Pulisic almost returned the compliment straight away but Vicente Guaita superbly kept out Willian’s shot. Then ten minutes before half-time Zaha produced one of the moments of the season when he met a loose ball 30 yards out, took a touch and blasted a thunderbolt into the roof of the net.

It was nearly 2-2 before the break when Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga seemed to misjudge the flight of Joel Ward’s cross and it clipped the top of the bar. Palace continued to threaten but a double change brought Lampard immediate reward as Ruben LoftusCheek dinked the ball forward and fellow substitute Abraham scored.

But just a minute later Patrick van Aanholt pulled the ball back for Christian Benteke to roll home his first goal at Selhurst Park since April 2018.

Palace had two penalty appeals, appearing particularly unlucky when Loftus-Cheek seemed to catch Cheikhou Kouyate, before the post denied Dann.