Brentford left it late to salvage a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday at the Gtech Community Stadium, where Dango Ouattara proved decisive with goals in the 40th and 88th minutes.
Palace made the sharper start and were in front inside six minutes. Ismaïla Sarr kept his nerve from the penalty spot on 6′ to give the visitors an early foothold, rewarding a purposeful opening spell in which Oliver Glasner’s side looked dangerous whenever they broke forward.
Brentford gradually settled and began to impose themselves with longer spells of possession. The home side finished with 57.9 percent of the ball and won nine corners, and that growing territorial pressure finally told five minutes before the interval. Ouattara rose well to head home on 40′, sending the sides into the break level at 1-1.
The second half again swung Palace’s way soon after the restart. Adam Wharton restored the visitors’ lead on 52′ with a well-taken finish, punishing Brentford and putting Palace in position to see out an impressive away result. With five shots on target from 16 total efforts, the Eagles carried a threat throughout even without controlling possession.
Brentford, though, kept pushing. Thomas Frank’s men continued to work the flanks and ask questions in the air, and their persistence was rewarded again in the closing stages. Ouattara struck for his second header of the afternoon on 88′, lifting the roof off the Gtech and ensuring the Bees claimed a deserved share of the points.
There was still time for late tension in stoppage time, with Michael Kayode shown a yellow card for Brentford at 90’+5′ and Dean Henderson also booked for Palace at 90’+5′. Earlier, Chris Richards entered the book on 83′ and Jefferson Lerma followed on 89′ as the contest grew increasingly edgy.
In the end, a draw felt like a fair reflection of an open fixture. Brentford had the greater share of possession and set-piece pressure, while Palace created more total shots and looked dangerous in transition. Ouattara’s brace ultimately matched the contributions of Sarr and Wharton, leaving both sides to settle for a point from an entertaining 2-2 result.
