Eberechi Eze starred as Crystal Palace beat London rivals Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage to e-book their place within the FA Cup semi-finals.
It has been a dream week for Eze, who scored his first England objective in opposition to Latvia at Wembley on Monday – and can now be heading again to the nationwide stadium with Palace after hanging a stunner in off the far submit after which crossing for unmarked Ismaila Sarr to nod within the guests’ second.
Within the second half, Eddie Nketiah then stepped off the bench to stylishly wrap it up with a end by way of Bernd Leno’s legs.
Jefferson Lerma had rattled the crossbar with an excellent volley earlier than the breakthrough however Fulham had been on prime, with Rodrigo Muniz taking pictures large inside two minutes and Andreas Pereira passing up an excellent probability after good work from Calvin Bassey.
The hosts had additionally appealed for Adam Wharton to be despatched off when the Palace midfielder, already on a yellow card, kicked out at Muniz on the midway line. Referee Darren England blew for a free-kick however regardless of a VAR verify there was no additional punishment.
Palace have been nicely organised after the break, irritating Fulham, who got here closest to grabbing a lifeline when Willian’s deflected strike had Dean Henderson at full stretch and Calvin Bassey miscued in a goalmouth scramble from the following nook.
However simply as within the 2-0 Premier League win for Palace right here final month, Fulham could not carve a method by way of, and Palace punished them on the counter when Nketiah narrowly stayed onside to fit within the third.
Fulham have now misplaced their final 5 FA Cup quarter-finals however should choose themselves up swiftly for Tuesday’s journey to a different London rival in Arsenal, the place they are going to hope to keep up their push for European qualification by way of the Premier League.
Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta wore a protecting ear guard in his first recreation again after needing 25 stitches following Millwall’s Liam Roberts’ red-card foul on him within the earlier spherical
As for Palace, they will now be circling the weekend of 26/27 April on the calendar for a return to Wembley, the place they will have the prospect to make up for his or her 2022 semi-final loss to Chelsea and provides themselves a shot of lastly getting their palms on the well-known FA Cup trophy.
Eze magic makes Palace followers dream
Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace celebrates scoring his crew’s first objective
Sky Sports activities’ Peter Smith:
What every week it has been for Eberechi Eze. His first England objective on Monday. A objective and an help to ship Palace to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final on Saturday.
Other than Jefferson Lerma’s speculative volley, Palace had been struggling to hassle Fulham defensively within the first half. However the swiftness with which Eze reduce in off the left onto his proper foot spelled hazard and the end was unstoppable, fired in off the far submit. Pure class.
His pinpoint cross for Ismaila Sarr quickly after put Palace in full management.
Eze’s uncooked numbers will not be as eye-catching this time period – he has two Premier League objectives and 6 assists in contrast with 11 and 4 final season – however he is nonetheless electrical and his efficiency at Craven Cottage was a reminder of his high quality. With Eze match and firing, Palace’s FA Cup dream is actual.
Fulham blow their massive probability
Sky Sports activities’ Peter Smith:
The Fulham followers have been singing ‘We will Wembley’ when the groups have been popping out for the primary half, such was the boldness at Craven Cottage that Marco Silva’s facet would march on to the nationwide stadium, 50 years after they made it to the 1975 FA Cup closing.
With the draw opening up and Fulham impressing this season, this felt like an excellent alternative to underline the progress made beneath Silva. Their crew began with that perception, too, utterly on the entrance foot within the opening a part of the sport, with Rodrigo Muniz and Andreas Pereira going shut.
However throughout the tie a scarcity of final-third spark and high quality did for his or her hopes of creating the ultimate 4.
Pereira gave the ball away on a number of events within the closing third, whereas Willian and Antonee Robinson have been unable to chop by way of down the left, as gave the impression to be the gameplan. Silva rolled out his full complement of attacking choices however an incapacity to interrupt by way of an organised Palace facet and defensive lapses – such because the marking, or lack of, for Ismaila Sarr’s header – proved pricey.
A fast reset is required to concentrate on a Premier League marketing campaign which may nonetheless carry European soccer. However it is a low, a blow and that lengthy wait goes on.
