By Brentford began their 2024/25 Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday.
Bryan Mbuemo opened the scoring for Brentford in the 29th minute, cutting inside Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi before firing past goalkeeper Dean Henderson. Yoanne Wissa secured the win with a 75th-minute goal, capitalizing on a rebound from Nathan Collins’ deflected shot.
Crystal Palace’s lone goal came from a Brentford own goal, with Ethan Pinnock inadvertently putting the ball into his own net in the 56th minute.
The match, which marked Oliver Glasner’s competitive debut as Crystal Palace manager, saw both teams create numerous chances throughout.
Palace controlled much of the early possession, with Eberechi Eze seeing an early effort blocked before narrowly missing with a free kick. Joachim Andersen also tested Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken with a curling shot.
Controversy struck just before the half-hour mark when Eze’s free-kick goal was disallowed due to a foul in the penalty area, much to Palace’s frustration. Brentford capitalized on this reprieve three minutes later with Mbuemo’s opener.
Glasner made a tactical change at halftime, introducing Odsonne Edouard for Jean-Philippe Mateta. The substitution nearly paid off as Edouard found the net in the second half, only to be denied by an offside flag.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank’s side, playing without suspended striker Ivan Toney, demonstrated resilience in defense, with Flekken making crucial saves to deny Palace’s late push for an equalizer.
The match saw four yellow cards, with Palace’s Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen both cautioned before halftime.
This victory gives Brentford a positive start to their Premier League campaign, while Crystal Palace will look to regroup after a promising performance that ultimately fell short.
Next week, Brentford will travel to face Tottenham Hotspur, while Crystal Palace will host Everton as both teams continue their Premier League seasons.
