Zian Flemming struck in the 90th minute to give Ipswich Town a stunning 3-2 victory over 10-man Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, in a chaotic Premier League encounter that swung one way and then the other before finally breaking in the visitors' favour.
The result marked a significant moment for Ipswich manager Gary O'Neil, who had managed just a single point from his previous five visits to this south London venue. A Millwall fan by background, O'Neil watched his side battle back twice before snatching victory through Flemming, the final signing among the 14 new arrivals Ipswich brought in during a summer spend of roughly £190 million as a promoted club.
Palace took an early lead when Anan Khalaili scored his first goal for the club, latching onto a pass from Daichi Kamada and finding the net with the help of a deflection off Leif Davis, after Ipswich had squandered a golden chance through Adam Wharton moments earlier. Jørgen Strand Larsen then spurned an opportunity to extend the home side's advantage before Ipswich hit back through Emersonn, who converted a cross from Davis despite Palace's defenders appearing to hold for an offside call that never came.
The game turned further in Ipswich's favour when Palace defender Axel Disasi was shown a straight red card for a reckless, high challenge on Jack Clarke, reducing the hosts to 10 men. Manager Pierre Sage responded by sacrificing attacking threat Yéremy Pino for defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, but the change only invited more Ipswich pressure. Just before halftime, Davis nodded in Ipswich's second goal, the ball falling to him fortuitously off Emersonn's shoulder following a cross from Dara O'Shea.
Despite being a man down, Palace responded strongly after the break, with Quinten Timber twice going close before Strand Larsen leveled the score with 15 minutes remaining, capitalizing on a clever pass from Kamada to hold off Issa Diop and beat goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen. Khalaili then missed a glaring chance to restore Palace's lead, a miss that would prove costly.
In the dying moments, Davis rattled the crossbar with a header, and Flemming, who had come on as a substitute, reacted first to the loose ball, beating goalkeeper Walter Benítez to secure the winner and send the traveling Ipswich supporters into raptures.
O'Neil expressed his delight afterward, saying: "I don't care where I win, as long as I win. It's been the best four months of my career, playing or managing. I've loved it, every minute of it. The playing group just gives everything. We'll lose some, but we'll give everything when we lose."
For Palace, the defeat means they have now lost their opening two home league games of a season for the first time since 2018, and they have conceded more goals than any other side in the division so far. The hosts were already without injured captain Dean Henderson, and Sage further shook things up by leaving Jaydee Canvot out of the matchday squad entirely, describing it as "a sporting decision" driven by dissatisfaction with the defender's training performances.
"I need more from him and I'm sure he is able to give that," Sage said of Canvot. "I don't care about my authority. I want the players at 100% of what they are able to do. And when they give less, I have to shake them."
Despite a promising debut from 18-year-old Honest Ahanor, Palace's defensive frailties were once again exposed. Ipswich, meanwhile, continued to show they may be better equipped to survive in the top flight than during their previous Premier League stint two seasons ago, when they finished with just 22 points.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football.