Palace and Zaha brush aside Watford in final pre-season friendly

Crystal Palace defeated Watford 3-1 at Selhurst Park in their final friendly before next Saturday’s curtain-raiser at Chelsea.

Wilfried Zaha, wearing the captain’s armband, hit the net twice for the Eagles, with Christian Benteke scoring the third, after late sub Troy Deeney had pegged back the deficit for Hornets.

The attacker miscued an early effort from a James McArthur cross but his harrying earned him a penalty in the 29th minute to open the scoring.

The winger burst into the box and was pulled back by Danny Rose, and Daniel Bachmann could not get enough on his spot-kick.

Cucho Hernandez smacked against the post at the other end.

But Zaha doubled the lead with a fine solo effort. He cut inside from the left and unleashed a thunderbolt from 10 yards which was too powerful for a clutch of defenders to divert from the net.

Deeney curled an effort in via a deflection to earn his side a consolation in the 81st minute.

But Benteke rose highest in the box and his looping header restored Palace’s two-goal cushion before the final whistle and the beginning of hostilities next weekend.

Palace: Guaita, Ward, Kouyaté (Tomkins 89), Guéhi, Mitchell (Hannam 71), McArthur (Gallagher 71), Riedewald, Schlupp (Banks 80), Zaha, Ayew (Rak-Sakyi 80), Mateta (Benteke 71).

Subs not used: Butland, Kelly, Clyne, Boateng.

Watford: Bachmann, Ngakia, Troost-Ekong, Cathcart, Rose (Femenía 65), Etebo, Cleverley (Louza 80), Sema (Kucka 65), Sarr, Dennis (Deeney 80), Hernández.

Subs not used: Foster, Gosling, Fletcher, Dele-Bisharu, Kabasele, Sierratta, Elliot, Baah, Morris.