Striker Phillips puts Palace back in Premier League
Posted Tuesday, May 28, 2013 by YAHOO Sport
Veteran striker Kevin Phillips scored an extra-time penalty as Crystal Palace ended an eight-year Premier League absence by beating Watford 1-0 in the Championship (second tier) playoff final at Wembley on Monday.
Former Watford forward Phillips, 39, secured Palace's promotion to the top flight when he drove his spot-kick high into the net in the 105th minute after Manchester United-bound forward Wilfried Zaha was brought down by Marco Cassetti.
"It was a case of fourth time lucky for me in a playoff final because I lost my previous three," substitute Phillips told Sky Sports television.
"It's an amazing feeling. To come on and score the winning goal against the club where it all started for me 20 years ago is a fairytale."
Victory was thoroughly deserved for Ian Holloway's Palace as they dominated the game that analysts estimate is worth 120 million pounds ($181.22 million) to the winners.
Man-of-the-match Zaha was a constant threat in attack and he gave a performance that showed why United have already agreed a deal to sign him at the end of the season. ($1 = 0.6622 British pounds)
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