LONDON (Interstat) — Arsenal opened the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday at Selhurst Park in Croydon, rallying from an early deficit behind a goal and an assist from substitute Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus scored in the 42nd minute to put Arsenal ahead, then set up Noni Madueke’s goal in the 48th minute to give the visitors a two-goal cushion. Crystal Palace pulled one back in the 89th minute through Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Arsenal held on for the win.

The match was a tale of two halves. Crystal Palace started brightly and created several early chances, but Arsenal’s defense held firm. The breakthrough came just before halftime when Jesus collected a pass in the box, turned his marker and slotted a low shot past Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

Arsenal doubled the lead three minutes after the restart. Jesus, again the creator, threaded a through ball to Madueke, who had come off the bench earlier in the match. The winger took a touch to set himself and fired a left-footed shot inside the near post.

Crystal Palace pushed forward in search of a lifeline and finally found one in the 89th minute. Mateta latched onto a cross from the right flank, controlled the ball and stabbed it past Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from close range. The home side pressed for an equalizer in stoppage time but could not find a way through.

Jesus received a yellow card in the 74th minute for a late challenge, one of the few bookings on the afternoon.

The result gave Arsenal a 1-0 record in the Premier League and across all competitions, while Crystal Palace fell to 0-1 in both categories.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made a tactical switch at halftime, bringing on Madueke and Jesus to add attacking impetus. The move paid immediate dividends, with both substitutes combining for the second goal. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner also made substitutions, but his team could not overcome the two-goal deficit despite a late surge.

The match was the first of the season for both sides, and the atmosphere at Selhurst Park was electric as fans returned for the new campaign. Crystal Palace had the better of the early exchanges, forcing Ramsdale into a save in the 15th minute. But Arsenal grew into the game as the first half progressed, with Martin Odegaard pulling the strings in midfield.

Arsenal’s defense, led by William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, limited Palace to few clear-cut chances aside from Mateta’s goal. The Gunners also controlled possession for long stretches, particularly after taking the lead.

For Crystal Palace, the loss was a disappointing start to a season that began with high hopes. Eberechi Eze was lively in attack, but he and his teammates could not convert their pressure into goals until it was too late.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Crystal Palace 1, Arsenal 1, while Interstat’s ELO system had projected Crystal Palace with a 69.00 percent probability to win. The actual result defied those predictions, giving Arsenal an early advantage in the standings.