A dominant display from Crystal Palace saw them advance to the FA Cup final for the first time in nearly a decade, as they cruised to a convincing 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The Eagles, powered by a stunning long-range strike from Eberechi Eze and a brace from Ismaila Sarr, left Villa with little chance in a one-sided semi-final encounter.
The match kicked off with both teams battling for early control, but it was Crystal Palace who struck first. In the 23rd minute, Eberechi Eze unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty box, sending the ball crashing into the top corner of Villa’s net to give Palace a 1-0 lead.
Eze’s rocket was a moment of brilliance that set the tone for the rest of the game, as Palace dominated possession and pressed Villa high up the pitch.
Aston Villa, who have not won the FA Cup since 1957, struggled to find any rhythm or threaten the Palace goal throughout the first half. Despite the occasion, they failed to respond to the early setback, and their defense was unable to cope with the attacking force of the Eagles.
In the second half, Ismaila Sarr added to Palace’s lead with two clinical finishes. His first goal came in the 56th minute, when a well-timed cross found him in the box, allowing him to calmly slot the ball past Villa’s goalkeeper. Sarr sealed the deal in the 74th minute, finishing off a counter-attack with a composed strike that sent the Palace fans into a frenzy.
The final whistle blew with a 3-0 scoreline, ensuring that Palace would return to the FA Cup final for the first time since their 2016 and 1990 defeats to Manchester United. They will now await the winner of Sunday’s semi-final between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City to find out who they will face in the final on May 17.
For Aston Villa, the result was a bitter disappointment. Under the guidance of manager Unai Emery, the team had hoped to secure a spot in the final for the first time since 2015. However, their poor performance on the day means they will have to focus on securing a top-five finish in the Premier League to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
