Southampton held by Crystal Palace in 2-2 draw

Jordan Ayew rescued a point for Crystal Palace as Southampton failed to hold on in a 2-2 Premier League draw on Wednesday night.

James Ward-Prowse answered Wilfred Zaha’s opening goal, which came after just 100 seconds of play when he converted a sensational free-kick that beat Jack Butland into the top corner.

Armando Broja tallied his fifth league goal to give Saints a 2-1 lead in the 36th minute, converting a low bullet of a shot that found the bottom corner and beat a diving Jack Butland.

Saints, however, continued to find a way to ship points and the story repeated when Ayew found a second-half equaliser after tapping in Zaha’s cross in the 65th minute.

Joel Ward and Oriol Romeu each had chances to break the deadlock in added time, but the Palace full-back could only force a save whilst the Saints midfielder flashed his attempt over the bar.

Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Butland; Mitchell, Guehi, Tomkins (Andersen 82), Ward; Kouyate (Benteke 64), Hughes, Gallagher; Zaha, Edouard, Ayew (Olise 75)

Unused subs: Guaita (GK), Eze, Riedewald, Schlupp, Milivojevic, Clyne

Goals: Zaha (2), Ayew (65)

Bookings: Guehi (26), Tomkins (73)

Southampton (4-4-2): Caballero; Walker-Peters, Salisu, Lyanco, Livramento; Redmond, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Smallbone (Djenepo 70); Broja (Long 70), Tella (Walcott 82)

Unused subs: Lewis (GK), Valery, Elyounoussi, Bednarek, Diallo, Perraud

Goals: Ward-Prowse (32), Broja (36)

Bookings: Livramento (67), Salisu (84), Lyanco (88)