Mateta's Penalty Redemption Denies Bournemouth's Late Ambush

Incontournable Score Futmetrix: 100/100. A six-goal demolition of defensive structure, decided by Jean-Philippe Mateta's ice-cold 90th-minute conversion from the spot—the only moment of composure in 90 minutes of controlled chaos.

When Four Lead Changes Become the Story

Bournemouth arrived at Selhurst Park with third-place credentials and a point to prove. Eli Junior Kroupi announced their intent in the seventh minute—no preamble, no buildup, just a clinical finish that set Intensity to maximum. By the 38th minute, Kroupi had his brace, and Balance tilted decisively toward the south coast.

But Stakes shifted the moment Daniel Muñoz threaded Mateta through in the 64th minute. VAR confirmed the goal two minutes later—a controversial moment that sparked Palace's resurrection. The Frenchman, sensing blood, struck again in the 69th. Suddenly, a two-goal deficit had evaporated into a draw.

The Balance seesawed once more when R. Christie's 89th-minute substitute strike punished Palace's complacency. Bournemouth's comeback within a comeback looked complete. But Mateta, operating with the clarity of a man possessed, stepped up to the spot in the 90th minute and buried it. Selhurst erupted. Bournemouth's title credentials, momentarily, took a breath.

The Numbers That Explain the Madness

Palace fired 20 shots—only seven found the target, yet xG of 4.44 reflected their dominance. Bournemouth's economy was brutal: eight shots, five on target, 2.03 xG. This wasn't a game decided by possession or territory. It was decided by clinical finishing and the willingness to leave bodies on the line. Five yellow cards for Bournemouth told the story of a team fighting for every inch.

Mateta's hat-trick (9.2 rating) wasn't just prolific—it was transformative. A player who could have been buried by a two-goal deficit instead became the architect of Palace's Upset over Stakes. Kroupi (8.9 rating) matched him in ambition but not in execution when it mattered most.