Hat-trick hero Mateta misses injury-time sitter as Palace battle back against Bournemouth

SHOULDA BEEN FOUR: Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta shows his frustration following the Premier League match at Selhurst Park, London. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire

Crystal Palace 3 Bournemouth 3 

Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a hat-trick, including a stoppage-time penalty, but he will still be thinking about the one that got away after Crystal Palace drew 3-3 against Bournemouth.

The French striker spurned a glorious chance to win it for the Eagles, firing over from just eight yards out, at the end of a frantic encounter between two in-form sides.

Ryan Christie thought he had fired Bournemouth to the top of the Premier League - for a couple of hours at least - after he scored with a minute of normal time remaining.

But after Bafode Diakite was adjudged to have fouled Marc Guehi at a corner, Mateta slotted in the penalty to ensure Palace stretched their unbeaten home record to 10 matches.

However, when Mateta was presented with a chance to win it by Eddie Nketiah he blazed the opportunity high over the crossbar.

A draw was probably a fair result, however, after an enthralling affair between these two upwardly mobile sides.

Mateta made his France debut last week, and on this evidence the Cherries' teenage forward Junior Kroupi will not be far behind after he stole the show in the first half.

The 19-year-old was plucked from the French second division after scoring 22 goals in 30 games for Lorient last season, and he made the step-up look simple.

Both league meetings between these sides last season finished goalless, but Kroupi ensured that would not be the case this time around when he found the net after only seven minutes.

He did not need to look far for it, heading home from about six inches after Justin Kluivert's inswinging corner ricocheted through to him at the far post.

Bournemouth doubled their lead after a powerful run from sought-after winger Antoine Semenyo, who drilled in a low cross which was misjudged by Guehi and volleyed home first-time by Kroupi.

There was mild controversy at the start of the second half when Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi was booked for bringing down Ismaila Sarr 30 yards out.

The VAR recommended a check for a red card - for the denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity - but after referee Jarrod Gillett went to the replay screen he had the courage of his convictions to stick with his original decision.

It looked like the right call, but moments afterwards the VAR correctly intervened to overturn an errant offside flag after Mateta tucked in Daniel Munoz's cross as Palace halved the deficit.

Then, five minutes later, Mateta slid in at the far post to convert another Munoz cross for the equaliser.

Palace had the ball in the net again when sub Nketiah diverted Mateta's shot home, but he was rightly pulled up for offside.

Instead the Cherries got their noses in front in the 89th minute when Marcus Tavernier's low cross was turned in by Christie.

But Mateta held his nerve from the spot to secure a point, and then held his head in his hands after wasting the chance for all three with the final kick.