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Woeful West Ham defending handed Crystal Palace a point in a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.<\/p>\n
The Hammers were leading through a fine goal from Ghana winger Mohammed Kudus and heading for a fifth straight win in all competitions.<\/p>\n
But West Ham\u2019s Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos\u00a0came bearing a gift when his crazy back-pass let Odsonne Edouard in to equalise.<\/p>\n
Once again the Hammers\u2019 inability to keep a clean sheet cost them \u2013 they have managed just one in the Premier League this season.<\/p>\n
Palace looked there for the taking, especially without the attacking threat of Eberechi Eze, who suffered an ankle injury last week.<\/p>\n
But they went close to opening the scoring when Joachim Andersen headed Michael Olise\u2019s free-kick back across goal and Edouard volleyed wide.<\/p>\n
However, the Hammers took the lead with their first real chance after 13 minutes.<\/p>\n
Kudus started the move when he spun away from Will Hughes in the centre circle and found Lucas Paqueta.<\/p>\n
The Brazilian fed the ball to James Ward-Prowse, who switched the play out to Vladimir Coufal on the right.<\/p>\n
Czech full-back Coufal pulled the ball back for Kudus, who had continued his run into the area and thumped a first-time shot past Palace keeper Sam Johnstone.<\/p>\n
Jarrod Bowen, back in West Ham\u2019s attack after missing two games with a knee knock picked up on England duty, could have doubled the lead when he latched onto Nayef Aguerd\u2019s ball over the top but his attempted lob did not beat Johnstone.<\/p>\n
Palace went close to an equaliser before half-time when Andersen\u2019s free-kick was deflected off the back of Edson Alvarez and looped narrowly wide with home keeper Alphonse Areola stranded.<\/p>\n
Kudus had the ball in the net again moments after the break but Tomas Soucek was offside and interfering with play when he swung a boot at the ball.<\/p>\n
Edouard was denied by a Ward-Prowse header underneath the crossbar as he tried to get his head onto Marc Guehi\u2019s cross, but moments later came Mavropanos\u2019 brain fade.<\/p>\n
The former Arsenal defender, only in the team as Kurt Zouma was missing due to a family issue, sent a no-look back-pass straight into the path of Edouard.<\/p>\n
The French striker could not believe his luck as he strolled forward, evaded Alvarez\u2019s last-ditch tackle and fired low into the bottom corner.<\/p>\n
Bowen could have won it in stoppage time, and continued West Ham\u2019s recent run of last-gasp winners, but planted his header straight at Johnstone.<\/p>\n