Ayew ends goal drought as Saints blow lead again
ANIGHT when James Ward-Prowse booked his place among an exclusive Premier League club and Jordan Ayew snuck in the back door to remind people he still has a place at the top table, too.
At the end of it all? Two more points dropped for Southampton — they are back atop the tree, the division’s most charitable side when in front. But also a vital one gained for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, who — despite now being winless in six — deserve credit for battling back and holding firm when Palace threatened to flip everything on its head once more.
Their captain, WardProwse, has now scored 11 Premier League free-kicks — only David Beckham (18), Thierry Henry (12) and Gianfranco Zola (12) have netted more. Not bad company to keep. This one, brilliantly curled home from 25 yards, sparked four frantic firsthalf minutes when Southampton went from 1-0 down to 2-1 up.
Incredible, really, given Palace looked in cruise control after Wilfried Zaha’s early opener. Fortunately for Patrick Vieira, no one surrenders leads like Southampton, who made it 16 dropped points from winning positions this season. Perhaps the antidote for their bullet-ridden feet will be hidden in Hasenhuttl’s stocking. Here the beneficiary was Ayew, who scored his first goal in 43 top-flight games. ‘We started really well, we scored the first goal and we completely stopped playing,’ Vieira lamented. ‘The point that we took, the way we played tonight, I don’t think we deserved more.’
Not given how spectacularly Palace wilted. They were ahead after two minutes and could have been further in front before the visitors had the courtesy to arrive at the party.
Palace took the lead after Oriol Romeu was handed a hospital pass in midfield, Will Hughes nipped in, and the ball found its way to Zaha. The winger drove into the box and cut inside before firing past Willy Caballero.
Briefly thereafter, Palace played with calm authority and Southampton looked miles off the pace. Any avenue back into the game would have surely closed had Caballero not denied James Tomkins at the back post. Or had Odsonne Edouard made better contact with the goal gaping.
But eventually Saints gained a foothold and made Palace pay. Twice in quick succession, from almost identical positions.
First Ward-Prowse curled home. ‘It’s such a good weapon, we have to use it more often,’ Hasenhuttl said. Then Conor Gallagher was robbed in midfield and Armando Broja beat Jack Butland from distance. The on-loan striker is proving some asset, too.
Vieira’s shell-shocked side returned after the break with renewed purpose and jolted this place back to life.
Edouard forced a smart double save from Caballero shortly before the hour and then Ayew crept in at the back post.
His first goal in 13 months came after a flash of limbs inside the Palace area. Edouard’s scrappy one-two with Christian Benteke was diverted towards the forward’s sleeve. As Saints arms rose, demanding handball, Edouard fired across Caballero, who could only divert the ball into Ayew’s path.
VAR had a look but Southampton protests fell on deaf ears. Both sides then pressed for the game’s fifth goal, that neither really deserved. Nothing doing. So both bosses were left to wonder if only.
‘At the end we take the point,’ Hasenhuttl added. ‘The reaction we showed after going behind was brilliant… then we conceded a stupid goal.’
Another one.