Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr conjured up semi-final scorchers as Crystal Palace reached the 2024-25 FA Cup final with a richly-deserved 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Wembley.
After the omission of Marcus Rashford from the Lions squad dominated the pre-game headlines, a fellow England international hogged the spotlight in the first half, where the electrifying Eze rifled a wonderful long-range strike into the net.
Jean-Philippe Mateta had a strike controversially disallowed for a foul on Ezri Konsa just a couple of minutes before Eze's outrageous opener, and both sides spurned reasonable chances to make the Wembley nets bulge again before the break.
Speaking of spurning chances, that is exactly what Mateta did from the penalty spot at the start of the second half, but the Frenchman's blushes were immediately spared when Sarr fired in a second equally impressive to Eze's opener.
The scintillating Senegalese put the icing on the FA Cup cake with a breakaway third in injury time, and Oliver Glasner's men can look forward to a date with destiny against either Nottingham Forest or Manchester City next month.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
The best team won.
Saturday's showdown could not have been more delicately poised between two managers with plenty of knockout nous, from 2021-22 Europa League winner Glasner to Unai Emery, who had never lost any of his previous four one-legged semi-finals in any competition.
However, at the end of an energy-zapping season in which they have also had to navigate Champions League commitments, this contest was maybe just one game too far for the Lions, who looked leggy, lethargic and a shadow of their best selves all afternoon.
Take nothing away from the performance of an electric Eagles side, though; from Dean Henderson's exceptional reactions, Adam Wharton covering every blade of grass and the lively Sarr and Eze producing the magical moments, Palace were utterly breathtaking.
The Eagles' previous two FA Cup finals in 1990 and 2016 both ended in Manchester United-inflicted heartbreak, but if Saturday's performance is anything to go by, the third time might just be the charm for Crystal Palace.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS. ASTON VILLA HIGHLIGHTS
Eberechi Eze goal vs. Aston Villa (31st min, Crystal Palace 1-0 Aston Villa)
EBERE EZE. THAT IS INCREDIBLE.
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 26, 2025
An unbelievable goal from the @CPFC and @England magician 🤯#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/SD364TWvBF
Something tells me we are going to run out of superlatives to describe this boy. Just two minutes after Mateta had a strike disallowed, another jewel in Glasner's crown produces another moment of mastery.
The move starts with Sarr charging down Pau Torres's clearance and then managing to evade a few Villa legs as he strides infield from the right-hand side.
Sarr's pass just about finds its way to Eze on the edge of the D, and the Englishman lets fly with a wonderful first-time strike which flies into the centre of the goal.
Wayne Rooney thinks Emiliano Martinez could have done better, but the combination of venom and accuracy from Eze was sublime.
53rd min: Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) penalty miss
Eze is now just toying with the Villa defence; the Englishman uses his body tremendously to get across Boubacar Kamara, who brings him down and concedes an inevitable penalty.
Mateta and his protective headgear step up to the 12-yard mark, but the Frenchman's effort skims the outside of the post and goes wide, much to the delirium of Villa fans and players.
Will that prove costly?
Ismaila Sarr goal vs. Aston Villa (58th min, Crystal Palace 2-0 Aston Villa)
ISMAILA SARR 💥@CPFC ARE RUNNING RIOT 🦅#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/Pb2Qpp9UYH
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 26, 2025
Narrator: It did not prove costly.
Villa, not for the first time today, are far too lackadaisical in possession, as Youri Tielemans is beaten to the ball by the energetic Wharton and Sarr is away through the centre of the pitch.
The Senegalese winger drives at a retreating Lions defence, works the angle for the shot and finds the bottom corner with a stunning strike from 25 yards to get Mateta off the hook.
Another fatal mistake from Villa, another brilliant goal from Palace - the Eagles are well and truly soaring!
Ismaila Sarr goal vs. Aston Villa (90+4 min, Crystal Palace 3-0 Aston Villa)
Ismaïla Sarr makes no mistake 🤩#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/1vuXkg0jOf
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 26, 2025
Copy and paste.
Just to kill off any fleeting hopes Villa fans had of an astounding late turnaround, Sarr bursts through Emery's exposed backline after a delicate pass from Eddie Nketiah and coolly slots home his second of the afternoon.
Good things most certainly come in threes for Palace, who are now just 90 minutes away from a first-ever FA Cup triumph.
MAN OF THE MATCH - ISMAILA SARR
© Iconsport
Alan Shearer may have bestowed Eze with this honour - a worthy nomination indeed - but having had a hand in all three of Palace's semi-final goals, the sensational Sarr ran the Villa defence ragged all afternoon long.
From a smart assist, a stunning long-range strike and wonderful breakaway goal - remarkably sprinting for his life with 90 minutes in his legs already - Sarr lit up the home of English football with a performance worthy of an FA Cup final.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS. ASTON VILLA MATCH STATS
Possession: Crystal Palace 30%-70% Aston Villa
Shots: Crystal Palace 9-16 Aston Villa
Shots on target: Crystal Palace5-9 Aston Villa
Corners: Crystal Palace 1-12 Aston Villa
Fouls: Crystal Palace 9-5 Aston Villa
BEST STATS
5 - Only Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes (both 6) have scored more goals from outside the box among Premier League players in all competitions this season than Eberechi Eze (5). Eagle-eyed. pic.twitter.com/Ep2BZlUfyD
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 26, 2025
2 - Crystal Palace are the first Premier League side to have two players score from outside the box in the same match at Wembley (Eze, Sarr) in all competitions since Tottenham vs Bournemouth in the Premier League in December 2018 (Eriksen, Son). Range. pic.twitter.com/dIaw9aRSDv
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 26, 2025
3 - Crystal Palace have enjoyed their joint-biggest ever win at Wembley in all competitions, alongside a 4-1 win over Everton in the 1991 Full Members' Cup final. They have reached the FA Cup final for the third time, after 1990 and 2016. Soaring. pic.twitter.com/ZvSlaFlfgC
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 26, 2025
WHAT NEXT?
All eyes are now on Sunday's blockbuster second semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, as Palace wait to learn who will stand in their way of stardom in the final on May 17.
As for the heartbroken Lions, a week of reflection follows before they resume their Premier League campaign at home to Fulham in next Saturday's lunchtime kickoff, still fighting for their right to play in next season's Champions League.
Ben Knapton
