Eberechi Eze’s stunning long-range effort helped Crystal Palace secure their place in the FA Cup final as they deservedly beat Aston Villa 3-0 at Wembley on Saturday.
Villa were the clear favourites for the first of this season’s semi-finals, but Unai Emery’s men – missing Marcus Rashford through injury – were completely outplayed by Oliver Glasner’s side.
Eze set them on their way to the final with a goal that will live long in the memory in the 31st minute, his stunning strike richly deserved reward for an excellent start.
Palace saw a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 go begging when Jean-Philippe Mateta missed a 54th-minute penalty, but a second-half double from Ismaila Sarr made sure they will face either Manchester City or Nottingham Forest in the final next month.
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Morgan Rogers wasted a superb chance to give Villa the lead in the 24th minute, firing wide after Lucas Digne’s whipped left-wing cross had bounced into his path.
It looked as if his profligacy had been punished when Mateta slotted past Emiliano Martinez five minutes later, only for his effort to be controversially ruled out for a foul on Ezri Konsa.
But Villa’s relief was short-lived, as Eze lit up Wembley with a ferocious 20-yard strike that flew beyond Martinez despite the Argentina keeper getting a hand to it.
Though Konsa went close to responding, Palace continued to dictate matters and Sarr and Tyrick Mitchell each spurned extremely promising openings to make it 2-0, the latter missing his kick with the goal seemingly at his mercy after the Eagles cut through Villa with startling ease.
John McGinn sand Digne each saw efforts superbly served by Dean Henderson after the break and their frustration was increased when Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot after Boubacar Kamara had brought down Eze inside the area.
Mateta, though, fluffed his lines, his overly nonchalant effort striking the outside of the right-hand post.
Yet Sarr ensured Mateta would not live to regret that miss, finding the bottom-left corner with a powerful low drive from the edge of the area after Adam Wharton had won possession in midfield.
Villa’s threat diminished as their task became more arduous, and Palace would have made it 3-0 had Sarr not somehow managed to send his close-range header wide while completely unmarked in the box.
Despite seven minutes being added on, Sarr’s glaring miss mattered not as Palace saw out the victory with difficulty, the same man adding a final flourish as he lashed home a late third after Youri Tielemans was dispossessed. Sarr’s second capped a miserable day for Villa and rounded off one Glasner and his players will never forget.
