Joy for Vieira as last-gasp Zaha turns on magic
THE celebrations by Patrick Vieira along the touchline proved this was no end-ofseason dead rubber for the Palace boss.
Having witnessed Wilfried Zaha come off the bench to score in the dying seconds, the Frenchman could scarcely contain his delight.
For the first time this season the Eagles had come from behind to win – and with fit-again Eberechi
Eze also scoring, it completed a joyous day for the visitors.
Vieira, whose side are up to 12th with 41 points, beamed: “I was very happy because I didn’t feel we deserved to be losing at half-time.
“The last game against Leeds was in our legs and Wilf’s. The plan was always for him to come on. It’s important everyone knows we are a team.
“And it’s been a long, frustrating journey for Ebs after seven months out.
“He wants to play but today shows he’s now ready to be at his best again.”
The dejected mood of Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl was in total contrast.
He was bitterly upset at his side’s failure to hang on after Oriol Romeu’s early opener.
The Austrian rapped: “They had better subs who made the difference.
“It’s disappointing and very hard to take as we know we can play much better. We
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lacked quality. We must do more.”
Many had viewed this clash as a personal duel between Saints skipper James Ward-prowse and Palace’s on-loan Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.
Both are banging on that England door every time they turn out on the domestic front – and the pair could well be in direct competition for a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad.
And when, after nine minutes Ward-prowse produced his fifth assist this term – with a corner that Romeu (below) headed in off the underside of the bar – the hosts seemed in good shape for their second victory in nine games. But Palace had other ideas and on the hour mark they grabbed a deserved equaliser through Eze.
Saints sub Stuart Armstrong missed a sitter eight minutes from time before Zaha took centre stage at the death.
He spun on the edge of the area to rifle in his 13th goal this season – and send Vieira and Palace into ecstasy.