Howe points finger at Zaha after Benteke blows it
ball. If there is something to be viewed I’m sure the authorities will do it. You don’t want to see any teams cheating.”
Hodgson jumped to the defence of Zaha – but not Benteke, who was booed off by his own fans.
“Were they penalties?” asked Hodgson. “I guess so as the referee gave them. When you’re running at defenders in the penalty area as often as we were in 90 minutes, it’s not surprising you get some given. Zaha was out of this world.
“The question, of course, is why did Benteke take the penalty? I don’t know. We expected Luka to take it. He’s our designated taker.” The good news for Bournemouth is their star striker does know how to hit the net.
Jermain Defoe showed Palace how to do it with two first-half goals – including one world-class strike. It was only his second and third since arriving but Howe expects him to push on.
“He’s had injury niggles but he’s getting to where he wants to be now,” said Howe. “Jermain will feel he needs to score goals and so it’s an important day for him. We hope it’s the spark for him to get more.”
His goals lit up a frantic first half where both team’s attacked with verve but defended with eyes closed. Bournemouth went first after 10 minutes with a cute short corner which saw Palace defenders totally switch off.
Defoe made them pay, sweeping in Andrew Surman’s perfect pass. But Palace, who lost captain Mamadou Sakho to injury on 25 minutes, stunned them with two quickfire goals. First a penalty, when Zaha raced onto a Benteke flick-on and was brought down by keeper Asmir Begovic. Milivojevic rasped home the spot-kick with ease.
Then, within three minutes, Yohan Cabaye’s pacy low cross was turned home at the far post by Scott Dann – the man who replaced Sakho.
But the half had a sting in the tail. Defoe’s stunning Van Basten-like dipping volley flew high over Julian Speroni’s head and angled it’s way into the top corner. Absolutely stunning. The drama continued in the second half, Dann missed a sitter and Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Milivojevic went close.
Then the final act – referee Kevin Friend pointed to the spot as Zaha fell under Daniels’ challenge. Everyone expected Milivojevic to rattle it home – but instead Benteke grabbed the ball and failed.