Crystal Palace 1 Huddersfield Town 0: Bakary Sako bags rare goal at Selhurst Park in League Cup tie

Bakary Sako on Tuesday night became the first Crystal Palace player this ­season to score against another Premier League club when he headed home after 13 minutes of a sparsely-attended Carabao Cup tie. 

The caveat, of course, is that he beat Huddersfield Town’s reserve goalkeeper in a match in which both sides made nine changes from their most recent Premier League match. Manchester City, Palace’s next opponents, at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, represent far more formidable opposition. 

But new Palace manager Roy Hodgson was thankful for a first victory in his second match in charge, and a second win of the ­season for his much-criticised team, the first coming against Ipswich Town in the previous round of this competition. 

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but after one week’s work, it would be very churlish of me not to praise the players,” he said. “We needed it. I hope the fans understand that you don’t repair the damage that we’ve suffered overnight. But I see some shards of light at the end of the tunnel.” 

To add to the Selhurst feelgood factor, Pape Souare took the field as a second-half substitute for Palace for his first appearance after a road accident more than a year ago had threatened to end his career. 

Sako’s landmark header from Andros Townsend’s corner was his first goal since August 2015 and Palace’s first against a top-flight rival since a 4-0 win over Hull City in the penultimate match of last season. 

Huddersfield did their best to ­reply, but it was Palace’s night.

Match details

Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Speroni; Kelly, Tomkins, Sakho (Delaney 70), Van Aanholt; Townsend, Milivojevic, Riedewald (Cabaye 80), Schlupp (Souare 46); Lee, Sako.
Subs: Ward, Hennessey (g), Benteke, Mutch.
Booked: Tomkins, Sakho.
Huddersfield Town (4-4-1-1): Coleman; Hadergjonaj, Hefele, Crainie, Malone; Ince (Mooy 69), Billing, Hogg (Whitehead 70), Van la Parra; Lolley; Kachunga.
Subs: Lossl, Smith, Sabiri, Lowe, Jorgensen.
Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).