Crystal Palace booked their place in the FA Cup final with a commanding 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley, a result that left their supporters dreaming of a historic cup triumph. The match was filled with drama and clinical moments, but it was Ismaïla Sarr’s brilliance that stole the show.
Palace’s first-half lead came courtesy of a moment of magic from Eberechi Eze, who curled a stunning shot into the top corner after a mistake from Villa’s Pau Torres. The goal came following a forced error from Sarr, who capitalized on the turnover to lay the ball on a plate for Eze. The early strike gave Palace the upper hand, and despite Villa’s best efforts, they couldn’t break down the Palace defense.
Villa, without the injured Marcus Rashford, started the game under pressure. Their first real chance came when Morgan Rogers was almost in on goal after a quick throw-in, but his shot was off target. Palace, however, looked dangerous every time they attacked, and the Villa defense was often caught out. After Eze’s opener, Villa’s hopes of a quick response were dashed when Boubacar Kamara received a booking for a foul on Jean-Philippe Mateta, adding to the pressure on Unai Emery’s side.
As the second half unfolded, Villa attempted to fight back but were denied by the inspired Dean Henderson. The Palace goalkeeper made key saves, first denying John McGinn’s half-volley and then pulling off an even better stop to keep out Lucas Digne’s effort. Villa had little joy in front of goal, with Palace’s organized defense holding firm.
The game took a decisive turn when Kamara fouled Eze in the penalty area, and although Mateta missed the resulting penalty, Palace were soon two goals to the good. A Villa turnover in midfield allowed Mateta to play Sarr through on goal, and the Senegalese forward lashed an unstoppable shot past Emiliano Martínez from distance. The goal sent the Palace fans into raptures, as their team’s place in the final seemed secure with just over 30 minutes to play.
Villa pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, but Palace continued to dominate. Leon Bailey came close to pulling one back with a deflected shot that went just over the bar, but it was clear that this was not Villa’s day. Sarr should have added a third earlier but missed a header from close range, before rounding off the victory in stoppage time with a second goal after a pass from Eddie Nketiah.
This result marked another Wembley disappointment for Villa, who have now lost seven of their last nine visits to the stadium. Emery’s side, which had been impressive in the Champions League this season, couldn’t handle Palace’s resilience and sharp counter-attacks. Meanwhile, Palace will now look ahead to their third FA Cup final in their history, full of confidence that they can challenge any opponent. With the attacking flair of players like Sarr and Eze, the Eagles will feel they have a real chance to make this FA Cup run one to remember.
