LONDON - A late goal by Joel Ward rescued a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace at Fulham on Saturday, after the hosts' striker Aleksandar Mitrovic bagged two goals on his first start since serving an eight-match ban.

Fulham has 52 points from 37 games - four behind ninth-placed Brentford - and remains 10th in the Premier League standings.

The draw has snuffed out the west Londoners' faint hopes of securing European football with a top-seven finish, but keeps the club on course for a first top-half finish since 2012.

"To be honest, overall I think we had the better chances," goalscorer Mitrovic said.

Palace took the lead in the 34th minute when Odsonne Edouard's fierce effort completed a sweeping counterattack after the Frenchman was played through on goal by Eberechi Eze following a Fulham corner

"Fair result. It was a good game, four goals and a fair draw in the end.

"It was really nice, a hard game after two months out for me. The legs got heavy, especially at the end of the game. I've been missing this feeling for a couple of months."

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Palace took the lead in the 34th minute when Odsonne Edouard's fierce effort completed a sweeping counterattack after the Frenchman was played through on goal by Eberechi Eze following a Fulham corner.

Fulham forward Harry Wilson was hacked down by Tyrick Mitchell just before halftime and Mitrovic stepped up to thump his penalty past Sam Johnstone to level the game.

The Serbian, playing without a number on his back after a bloody nose left him in need of a new shirt, put Fulham ahead in the 61st minute with a bullet header from a Willian cross.

Palace took the initiative in the closing spell of the game and was finally rewarded for its perseverance, though the goal came from an unlikely source.

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Captain Ward salvaged a point for Palace in the 83rd minute as he stabbed home a rebound after Fulham failed to defend a set-piece to score his first league goal since the 2018-19 season.

Palace, who has 44 points, move up to 11th ahead of Chelsea, who play leaders Manchester City on Sunday.