Brentford kicked off their Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday, despite a controversial refereeing decision and the absence of star striker Ivan Toney. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, featuring a disallowed goal, a questionable foul call, and a dramatic winner.
The Bees took the lead in the 29th minute through Bryan Mbeumo, who skillfully cut inside Marc Guehi and slotted the ball past goalkeeper Dean Henderson. The goal came just minutes after Palace had a goal chalked off for a foul on Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken. Eberechi Eze had curled a long-distance free kick into the net, but referee Sam Barrott deemed a foul by Will Hughes in the buildup, despite the ball crossing the line before the whistle was blown.
Palace continued to dominate possession and eventually equalized in the 65th minute. Daniel Munoz headed a cross back across goal, and Ethan Pinnock unfortunately deflected the ball into his own net while attempting to clear.
Just moments later, Palace had another goal ruled out for offside, before Brentford snatched the winner in the 76th minute. A deflected shot from Nathan Collins fell to Yoane Wissa, who bundled the ball into the net after Henderson got a hand to it but pushed it onto his legs.
The match was overshadowed by the controversial refereeing decisions, particularly the foul call that denied Palace an equalizing goal. While VAR couldn’t review the decision as the whistle came before the ball crossed the line, Palace manager Oliver Glasner was left furious by the call.
The result will leave Palace with questions to answer, while Brentford will be pleased to start their season with a win. The absence of Toney, who was left out of the squad due to “transfer interest,” further added to the intrigue of the encounter. With the transfer window still open, it remains to be seen if the England striker will remain at Brentford beyond this month.
Despite the controversy, the match was an entertaining and tense affair, providing a glimpse of the excitement that the new Premier League season holds.
