Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace: Janelt rescues point for Bees

Vitaly Janelt headed home the equaliser with the last kick of the game as Brentford salvaged a point against London rivals Crystal Palace.

Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace: Janelt rescues point for Bees
Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
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By John Lupo

Brentford extended their unbeaten Premier League run with a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Bees are now 11 games unbeaten in the top flight, after Vitaly Janelt's stoppage-time header from a Bryan Mbeumo cross earned them a point.

Substitute Eberechi Eze opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the season, as he got on the end of Michael Olise's cross after beating Ethan Pinnock at the back post.

Chances were few and far between in a tense affair that saw little opportunities for either side.

Brentford stay ninth in the table while Palace remain 12th.

Story of the match

Brentford manager Thomas Frank made three changes to the side that drew with Arsenal as Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva and Yoane Wissa replaced Kristoffer Ajer, Janelt and Mads Roerslev.

The first half was an exciting contest, as the Bees had the opening chance of the match on seven minutes. After the ball pinballed in the box, Norgaard volleyed wide.

Ben Mee picked up an early yellow card for taking down Jordan Ayew and from the resulting free-kick, Joachim Andersen fired over the crossbar.

Dasilva then dispossessed Lokonga in midfield and the ball was worked out to Mbeumo, whose low cross was just out of the reach of Wissa at the near post.

Moments later, Olise stung the palms of David Raya with a fierce shot from just outside the box.

Olise then attempted to turn provider, twice sending in outswinging corners from the left that were met by Andersen, but both times Raya was able to come out and save easily.

Mbeumo had a go, but fired wide of the post and Norgaard also falshed wide with a low shot from 20 yards out.

Just before the half-time break, neat one-touch football from Dasilva and Mathias Jensen found Ivan Toney, but his connection on a 25-yard effort didn't really trouble Vicente Guaita.

Following that, Mee's header back across goal was cleared and that led to Mbeumo shooting just wide from the edge of the box after evading two Eagles defenders.

Jeffrey Schlupp and Jean-Philippe Mateta were both off-target with their headers early in the second half and at the other end Norgaard first flashed wide, then volleyed Jensen's knockdown into the hands of Guaita.

On the hour mark, the Bees made two changes as Kevin Schade and Mikkel Damsgaard joined the action and Palace responded by bringing on Eze, who took just seven minutes to make his imprint on the match.

A chipped cross by Ayew saw Cheick Doucoure slide in on Olise. He cut to his left and chipped a teasing ball to the back post that Eze nodded past Raya to give the visitors the lead.

Olise then saw a shot blocked by Mee and Rico Henry denied Mateta before Brentford began their late push for an equaliser.

Toney shot over from 15 yards and a cross by Jensen was met by Schade, whose effort was off-target as Palace were being pushed further into their own half.

The influential Schade then saw his volley blocked by Marc Guehi and Pinnock did the same at the other to a shot by Odsonne Edouard with Naouirou Ahamada dragging the follow-up wide.

Six minutes of extra time were added on after both Andersen and Tyrick Mitchell required treatment and it cost Patrick Vieira's side all three points.

In the dying embers of the contest, Mbuemo beat his man and his cross to the back post found Janelt, who rose highest from eight yards to head past Guaita.

<strong><a  data-cke-saved-href='https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2022/12/27/premier-league/1132916-brentford-2-2-tottenham-spurs-flex-comeback-credentials-again-coming-from-two-down-against-brentford.html' href='https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2022/12/27/premier-league/1132916-brentford-2-2-tottenham-spurs-flex-comeback-credentials-again-coming-from-two-down-against-brentford.html'>Vitaly Janelt</a></strong> celebrates after leveling the match for Brentford/Photo: Ben Hoskins/Getty Images
Vitaly Janelt celebrates after leveling the match for Brentford/Photo: Ben Hoskins/Getty Images

Player of the match: Vitaly Janelt

Took advantage of being left unmarked in the box and converted his header to extend Brentford's unbeaten run.