Just as they did in the first period, the Hammers arguably started the second half the brighter of the two teams, with Guéhi and Dean Henderson both intervening in the space of two minutes to deny Souček clear sights at goal.
At the other end, Edouard continued to look lively, with only a last-ditch challenge from Kilman preventing his spin-and-shot from a tight angle.
Then, midway through the second-half, the opener – and it went to West Ham. Former Palace Academy graduate Aaron Wan-Bissaka, on as a substitute, won the ball in his own half and led a counter charge which culminated – via the aid of three or four unfortunate deflections – with Souček placing a scrappy effort past Henderson in goal.
Daichi Kamada and Ismaïla Sarr came on for competitive debuts, but their task was made all the more difficult three minutes later when Souček sprayed the ball out wide to Bowen, who cut inside his man and drilled a clinical low finish into Henderson’s bottom corner.
Palace responded with a succession of late attacks, but were unable to break down the visitors’ defence, as the Eagles await a first victory of the season.
Palace: Henderson (GK), Muñoz, Richards (Schlupp, 82), Guéhi, Riad, Mitchell, Lerma (Kamada, 63), Wharton, Eze, Mateta, Edouard (Sarr, 71).
Subs: Johnstone (GK), Ward, Holding, Clyne, Doucouré, Ahamada.
West Ham: Areola, Coufal (Wan-Bissaka, 63), Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson (Cresswell, 89), Rodríguez, Souček (Álvarez, 78), Paquetá, Bowen, Kudus (Todibo, 89), Antonio (Füllkrug, 63).
Subs: Fabiański (GK), Ward-Prowse, Summerville, Ings.
As It Happened