- Heung-min Son broke the deadlock in the 68th minute
- Crystal Palace hit the post twice through Cabaye and Sako
- Spurs return to the top half of the table
Crystal Palace had their chances, but Tottenham dominated much of the match and earned all three points at White Hart Lane as Heung-min Son struck the deserved winner past the hour mark.
Spurs started brightly as Harry Kane picked out an open header off an early corner, but blasted it well over the bar despite being all alone near the penalty spot. Palace then grew into the game and matched Spurs’ midfield, with their best chance coming on 24 minutes as Yannick Bolasie tried his best Lionel Messi impression by skipping through defenders before skittering his shot well wide.
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By the half-hour mark the game bogged down, with both side’s creativity dragged down by opposition physicality and sloppy passing. Spurs finally got themselves another opportunity in front of goal on 32 minutes as Dele Alli ripped a low shot that Alex McCarthy parried well, and while the rebound came to Kane right on the end line, he had no angle on goal and his ball skipped across the face of goal harmlessly.
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Bakary Sako forced a quality save from Hugo Lloris on 38 minutes from a free-kick as Palace looked to threaten the Spurs back line. Finally, the game sprung open for a moment as Yohan Cabaye ripped a stinger on net and struck the post just a minute from halftime.
The second half brought more of the same, with Palace looking to hold off Spurs and play on the break. The home side had a big chance in the 58th minute as Son forced another save from McCarthy, and as the ball popped in the air Ben Davies put it in the back of the net but it was ruled out with Harry Kane in an offside position.
Palace again looked to strike on the counter in the 64th minute and Bakary Sako received a brilliant cross at the far post before humming a shot on net, but Hugo Lloris saved acrobatically and pushed it off the post.
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With the game opening up a bit, the opener finally arrived much to the delight of the fans at White Hart Lane. Mauricio Pochettino brought on Christian Eriksen, and he immediately had an impact, feeding Son on the break whose low shot bobbled through the legs of McCarthy on 68 minutes for the lead.
11 - 11 of the 14 goals scored in Premier League games involving Crystal Palace this season have come after half-time (79%). Patience.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 20, 2015
Crystal Palace had little to offer after that, the visitors slowly slumping to their fate as the clock ticked. Alan Pardew brought on Patrick Bamford and Jordan Mutch looking for fresh legs to turn the tide, but they had nothing left to give.
Tottenham, finishing with 57% of possession, earned their second win of the season to push them to nine points and into the top half of the table. Crystal Palace also remains on nine points, only above Spurs by a single goal differential mark.