Crystal Palace secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Brighton at Selhurst Park despite finishing the match with just nine men on the pitch.
Daniel Muñoz’s composed second-half finish ultimately proved the difference in a fiery contest that saw three players sent off.
The hosts got off to a flying start, striking just three minutes into the game. Jean-Philippe Mateta latched onto a perfectly weighted pass from Eberechi Eze before bending a superb effort into the top corner to put Palace in front.
Brighton responded with increasing dominance, nearly drawing level when Dean Henderson was called into action.
The Palace goalkeeper produced a fine double save, first denying Carlos Baleba and then pushing away Danny Welbeck’s rebound effort.
Their pressure eventually paid off in the 31st minute. A beautifully delivered cross from Yankuba Minteh found Welbeck, who converted from close range.
That goal etched his name into the club’s history as Brighton’s all-time leading scorer in the Premier League.
After the break, Eze was involved again, threading a pinpoint pass through to Colombian full-back Muñoz, who kept his cool to fire a low shot into the far corner, restoring Palace’s advantage.
The tension escalated late in the game. Substitute Eddie Nketiah was dismissed with 12 minutes left after collecting a second yellow card for a high boot on Van Hecke.
Moments later, Marc Guehi was also shown a second yellow, this time for a late challenge on Brajan Gruda, leaving Palace down to nine men.
Yet the drama didn’t stop there. Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke was also given his marching orders for dragging down Daichi Kamada, reducing the visitors to ten.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Crystal Palace held firm through nearly 14 minutes of stoppage time to claim a gutsy win.
The result marked their fifth victory in six matches across all competitions, putting them within two points of the Premier League’s top ten.
