Palace scores 4 goals in opening 31 minutes on way to 5-2 thrashing of West Ham

LONDON (AP) — Crystal Palace scored four goals in the first 31 minutes to set up a 5-2 victory in the Premier League over West Ham, whose ambitions of qualifying for Europe next season were dented on Sunday.

Palace, which had not previously scored more than three goals in a league match this season, opened the scoring with Michael Olise's header before Eberechi Eze made it 2-0 with a bicycle kick. Emerson intensified West Ham's woes when he turned the ball into his own net before Jean-Philippe Mateta made it four.

Michail Antonio clawed one back for the visitors before the break but Mateta grabbed his second in the 64th minute to re-establish the four-goal advantage.

Just as it looked to be the exclamation mark on a thumping victory, Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson was caught out and allowed Tyrick Mitchell’s back pass to skip past his foot and into the hosts’ net.

The defeat left West Ham in eighth place, two points adrift of Newcastle and Manchester United which both have two games in hand.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, right, celebrates scoring their second goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

West Ham United's Emerson Palmieri, reacts after scoring an own goal to give Crystal Palace their third goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

West Ham United's Emerson Palmieri, center, scores an own goal to give Crystal Palace their third goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Crystal Palace's Michael Olise, center left, scores their side's first goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Crystal Palace's Michael Olise, right, celebrates scoring their first goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

West Ham United manager David Moyes, left, and Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner before the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta, left, celebrates scoring their fifth goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

West Ham United's Emerson Palmieri, reacts after scoring an own goal to give Crystal Palace their third goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta, scores their fifth goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

Crystal Palace's Michael Olise celebrates scoring their first goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London, Sunday April 21, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)

PHOENIX (AP) — A judge on Friday rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to weigh a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Christopher Whitten said the wording the legislative council suggested is “packed with emotion and partisan meaning” and asked for what he called more “neutral” language. The measure aims to expand abortion access from 15 weeks to 24 weeks – the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb.

It would allow exemptions to save the woman’s life or to protect her physical or mental health. It would also prevent the state from adopting or enforcing laws that would forbid access to the procedure.

Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, who is a co-chair of the legislative council, said the group will appeal the court’s decision to the state Supreme Court.

“The ruling is just plain wrong and clearly partisan,” said Toma, a Republican.

Aaron Thacker, communications director for Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, noted that the final decision on the ballot itself remains in the air.

“There’s still a lot of scenarios at play," he said. "Even after the secretary certifies the signatures, the courts have to decide if counties can put it on the ballot or not."

Arizona for Abortion Access, the organization leading the ballot measure campaign, sued the council earlier this month over the suggested language and advocated for the term “fetus,” which the council rejected.

Attorney General Kris Mayes wrote in a motion to submit an amicus brief that “fetus" and “pregnancy” are both neutral terms that the council could adopt.

“It’s incredibly important to us that Arizona voters get to learn more about and weigh our measure in objective and accurate terminology,” said Dawn Penich, communications director for the abortion access group.

Democrats have centered abortion rights in their campaigns in this year’s elections. Organizers in five other states have also proposed similar measures that would codify abortion access in their state constitutions: Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota.

Arizona organizers submitted more than double the amount of signatures needed for the measure to appear on the ballot.

FILE - Arizona abortion-rights supporters deliver over 800,000 petition signatures to the capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. A judge on Friday, July 26, rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term “unborn human being” to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to decide on a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)