Sakho’s shocker
Junior snatches late winner
MAMADOU SAKHO’S moment of madness handed Bournemouth victory last night.
The Crystal Palace defender conceded a crazy penalty after elbowing Jefferson Lerma in the face with only five minutes left.
Junior Stanislas fired home from the spot to lift the Cherries into seventh place in the Premier League.
David Brooks had given Bournemouth an early lead before Patrick van Aanholt’s second-half leveller.
A MOMENT of madness from Mamadou Sakho handed Bournemouth the win that put them just two points off the top four.
Eddie Howe’s team looked to have been robbed of victory by an offside goal, until Sakho stupidly elbowed Jefferson Lerma in the penalty area.
Substitute Junior Stanislas, on the pitch for three minutes, stepped up to chip home the penalty.
The Cherries had raced into an early lead when Wales starlet David Brooks rifled them in front with a glorious strike in the fifth minute.
But Palace hit back with a goal which will have infuriated Howe, when Patrick van Aanholt, looking suspiciously offside, shot home nine minutes after half-time.
Palace went into last night’s match with a better record on the road than at home this season, having won four times away in league and cup.
Boss Roy Hodgson had insisted he was not worried that his side rely too much on Wilfried Zaha for goals, even though the striker had scored three of their four league goals so far.
After defeat at Burnley last week boss Howe called for his team to go back to basics and it took the Cherries just five minutes to do that last night.
Adam Smith crossed low, Callum Wilson laid the ball out to Brooks and he rifled home a glorious drive.
It was his first Premier League goal since joining in an £11.5m deal from Sheffield United last summer.
Energised
Palace were rattled, as the speedy Brooks and tricky Ryan Fraser ran at them, Wilson hitting the side-netting from another good move.
Hodgson’s side tried to hit back, as new boy Max Meyer tested keeper Asmir Begovic. But Bournemouth still looked dangerous and Steve Cook headed a great chance straight at Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. Palace were more energised after the interval and Zaha, anonymous in the first period, released Van Aanholt into the Bournemouth box.
The Palace man looked a yard offside, but the flag stayed down and he cut back inside to thrash his drive high into the net.
Then Fraser broke clear again to set up Wilson unmarked 10 yards out, only for Hennessey to save brilliantly.
And then with five minutes left Sakho stupidly elbowed Lerma in the area – and Stanislas coolly fired home the penalty to leave Howe jumping with delight on the touchline.