Crystal Palace Stun Aston Villa to Reach FA Cup Final
Crystal Palace produced a sensational performance at Wembley Stadium to thrash Aston Villa 3-0 and book their place in the FA Cup final for the first time in nine years.
In a clash many expected Villa—a side battling for Champions League qualification—to dominate, it was mid-table Palace who rose to the occasion. The breakthrough came in the 31st minute, when Eberechi Eze unleashed a thunderous strike from distance to give the Eagles a deserved lead.
The night belonged, however, to Ismaïla Sarr. The Senegalese winger doubled Palace’s lead with a powerful long-range effort and sealed the win in the dying moments, calmly finishing a one-on-one to complete his brace and send the South Londoners into dreamland.
With a 3-0 win, Crystal Palace march into the FA Cup final, where Oliver Glasner’s side will face the winner of the semi-final clash between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.
2024-25, England - FA Cup
Crystal Palace - Aston Villa 3:0 (1:0)
Goals: Eze, 31 (1:0); Sarr Is., 58 (2:0); Sarr Is., 90 (3:0)
Crystal Palace: Henderson D.; Mitchell T. (Chilwell, 84); Lacroix M.; Guehi; Muñoz D.; Richards Chr.; Sarr Is.; Eze (Lerma, 88); Wharton A. (Hughes W., 88); Kamada; Mateta (Nketiah, 79)
Bench: Turner M.; Ward; Clyne; Esse; Devenny
Yellow Cards: Mitchell T. 19; Richards Chr. 65; Kamada 84
Aston Villa: Martinez E.; Konsa; Digne (Maatsen I., 60); Torres Pau; Kamara B. (Barkley, 70); Cash; McGinn J. (Bailey, 60); Tielemans; Watkins; Asensio (Ramsey J., 69); Rogers M. (Malen, 79)
Bench: Olsen R.; Mings; Onana A.; Robledo
Yellow Cards: Kamara B. 17
