Crystal Palace secured a spot in the FA Cup semi-finals with a commanding 3-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Despite Fulham dominating possession and creating early chances, Palace executed their game plan with precision, striking twice in four first-half minutes before sealing the win in the second half.
Fulham started with intensity, pushing forward with urgency and energy. Within the opening two minutes, Rodrigo Muniz broke into the box and attempted to curl a shot towards the far post, but his effort swerved off target. However, the home side struggled to maintain their early momentum, and Muniz found himself repeatedly on the ground, appealing for decisions that never came.
It was from one such moment that Palace found their breakthrough. Muniz was left on the turf, and with Fulham distracted, the visitors swiftly launched an attack down the left flank. Tyrick Mitchell played a pass inside to Eberechi Eze, who cut past Sasa Lukic and curled a superb shot inside the far post, giving his side the lead.
Just minutes later, Eze was the architect once again. Released down the left wing, he weaved past his marker and delivered an inch-perfect cross past Sander Berge, allowing Ismaïla Sarr to nod the ball in at the near post. The goal silenced the home crowd and put Palace firmly in control.
Fulham attempted to respond but failed to create clear-cut chances. Calvin Bassey narrowly missed connecting with a corner, and Andreas Pereira sent a low shot skidding wide. Dean Henderson remained largely untroubled in the Palace goal, though Jefferson Lerma nearly extended the visitors’ lead before halftime with a dipping volley that struck the crossbar.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Fulham seeing more of the ball but struggling to break down Palace’s disciplined defense. The hosts forced a string of corners, but each time, the Palace backline stood firm. Willian forced Henderson into a save with a curling effort in the 68th minute, but the keeper remained untested for long spells.
Jean-Philippe Mateta made his return after suffering an ear injury in the previous round. Wearing protective covering, he worked tirelessly upfront before being substituted with 20 minutes remaining. His replacement, Eddie Nketiah, quickly made an impact, running onto a well-timed pass and finishing past Bernd Leno to put the result beyond doubt.
Palace’s victory continues a trend of away wins in this fixture, with neither side having secured a home triumph in their last eight meetings. This latest success marks Palace’s third FA Cup semi-final appearance in the last decade, a significant achievement for a club that had previously only reached this stage three times in their first 110 years.
