West Ham United secured their first win of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
The win was also the first Premier League win under new manager Julen Lopetegui, which is also the first home defeat for Palace since early April.
Second-half goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen earned West Ham the needed points to secure all three points on the road.
Soucek converted a loose ball inside the Palace area to give the Hammers the lead with their first effort on target, after fine work from substitute Aaron Wan-Bissaka down the right flank.
And Bowen netted his first-ever goal against Palace five minutes later, firing a left-footed drive inside the near post before celebrating in front of the jubilant Hammers supporters.
There were chances at both ends in an entertaining opening 20 minutes at Selhurst Park, with Michail Antonio and Mohammed Kudus going close for West Ham and Eberechi Eze and Odsonne Edouard missing opportunities for Palace.
Eze was denied by the woodwork late in the first half, his struck effort from a short-corner routine coming back off the crossbar with goalkeeper Alphonse Areola well beaten.
The second period was a less entertaining affair until Soucek broke the deadlock midway through the half, with Bowen all but ending Palace’s hopes of a route back into the game with his well-taken effort.
Chances were few and far between in the second half, with neither side looking particularly likely to break the deadlock until Soucek sent a left-footed shot beyond Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Former Palace defender Wan-Bissaka played a crucial role in the opening goal, collecting the ball deep inside his own half before laying it off to Bowen, who fed Lucas Paqueta.
The Brazilian’s shot was blocked but Palace failed to clear the loose ball, allowing Soucek to side-foot home.
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