Crystal Palace edged into the FA Cup quarter-finals after a 3-1 win towards native rivals Millwall, however the victory was tainted after Jean-Philippe Mateta was stretchered off.
The incident got here inside six minutes. Mateta challenged for a excessive ball simply outdoors the realm when Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts got here out of his field, catching the Palace striker’s head together with his excessive boot.
After a test of the pitchside monitor, referee Michael Oliver despatched Roberts off, with Mateta receiving virtually 10 minutes of medical consideration on the sphere earlier than being taken off. He was taken straight to hospital.
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish described it as ‘probably the most reckless problem on a soccer pitch I’ve ever seen’ when speaking to the BBC at half-time.
The Eagles started to rack up the probabilities with the extra participant, and made the breakthrough within the thirty third minute – though not from one in all their very own. Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga nodded house from Will Hughes’ cross, beating substitute goalkeeper Lukas Jensen.
Seven minutes later, Crystal Palace doubled their lead and Tanganga had one other hand. Daniel Munoz turned house from contained in the six yard field, however the purpose was initially dominated out for offside.
Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz celebrates scoring their aspect’s second purpose of the sport
This was overturned by Oliver, and VAR confirmed the purpose would stand after the ball got here off Tanganga earlier than Munoz turned house – that means he was not offside.
However with the ultimate kick of the primary half, Millwall gave themselves a lifeline. Matt Turner initially pushed away a cross, nevertheless it landed to the incoming Wes Harding, who fired house.
And the Lions started the second half nicely, and can really feel that they need to have equalised. However as soon as Crystal Palace settled, it was clear they might see the sport out, and added the security of a 3rd purpose within the 81st minute.
Eddie Nketiah celebrates his purpose towards Millwall
It was a deserved purpose for Eddie Nketiah, who changed Mateta. Eberechi Eze’s free kick was nodded on by Chris Richards, earlier than the previous Arsenal striker looped a header house to safe Crystal Palace’s spot in Sunday’s draw.
Parish: I’ve by no means seen a problem prefer it
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish to BBC Sport at half-time on Jean-Philippe Mateta’s harm:
“He’s got a bad gash behind his ear and a head injury. He’s at the hospital and we hope for the best.
“There’s a whole lot of emotion in soccer however we have to discuss that problem. I’ve by no means seen a problem prefer it… that is probably the most reckless problem on a soccer pitch I’ve ever seen.
Gamers from either side look on as Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta receives remedy
“He needs to have a long, hard look at himself because he’s endangering a fellow professional with a challenge like that.
“And why the referee must go to the display, I do not know… For those who’re kicking him within the head at full power, who is aware of what sort of harm might be completed.”
Glasner: It’s a terrible foul
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner to BBC Sport on Jean-Philippe Mateta:
“He is acutely aware and he is in hospital. His ear appears to be like horrible. It is a very severe harm and we hope the perfect for him.
“We can’t be really happy. Of course it’s a great win and into the quarter-finals, but when you lose a player with a foul like this, you have two different feelings in your stomach.
“I did not need to see it, however I’ve to speak about it. It is horrible [the challenge]. I am certain that the goalkeeper did not need to injure JP on this scenario as a result of no participant desires this.
“But if you go the ball like this with the intensity in the head, you just can’t do it because it’s so dangerous. I don’t want to blame him, but it’s a terrible foul.”
On the response from his gamers and the sport: “The players did well until the 55th minute in the first half. We controlled the game and we were on track. Then we unnecessarily gift the ball before half time and then it’s 2-1 and then they picked up their belief.
“The second half wasn’t actually the perfect sport, however Eddie determined it with a tremendous header. Going to the FA Cup quarter-finals is a superb achievement and now fingers crossed, we’re hoping the perfect for JP.”
Neil disagrees with Parish: Not the worst challenge I’ve ever seen
Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts acquired a pink card for a excessive problem on Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta
Millwall boss Alex Neil to BBC Sport when requested about Steve Parish’s half-time feedback on Liam Roberts’ problem:
“I don’t think there’s any intent. Why would there have been? It’s the start of the game, the ball gets put in behind and he tries to get there.
“I actually would not label it because the worst problem I’ve seen. We do not need the lad to be injured so naturally, we want Mateta nicely and hope he is again on the pitch quickly.
“For me, it’s mistimed, he’s been sent off, he’s disappointed. We wish Mateta well and it’s nothing more than that for me.
“On the time when it occurred, I did not know if he’d caught the lad or caught the ball as a result of the ball appeared to go off in a wierd angle.
“Unfortunately, [the screens] at the side of the dugout weren’t working so we couldn’t really watch the incident back.
“I have not seen it again since however he is mistimed it and obtained despatched off, which at that stage of the sport, makes the sport doubly troublesome for us. It was disappointing. He is made a name and hasn’t fairly obtained it proper.”
On the goals conceded: “The character of the targets disappoints me probably the most. One is an personal purpose, one other is after we kick the ball off our personal participant and it lands to the lad within the field and he scores. Then we lose two headers in a row. Once you’re all the way down to 10 males, you need to make them work for his or her targets.
“We gave ourselves a little bit of a lifeline by getting the goal before half-time. The plan then was to stay in the game as long as we can and hopefully get another goal. I was about to go two up top and they score just as we were about to make a sub, which summed the day up for us really.”
