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Eberechi Eze scored a sensational goal at Wembley - Getty Images/Catherine Ivill
Aston Villa may have support of the proverbial Palace, but it is the venerable Palace of south-east London who return to Wembley on May 17 for a shot at greatness.
For Crystal Palace, 174 years without a trophy, or 119 depending on when one marks the start date of one of England’s oldest clubs, this could yet be the year zero. The best era in the club’s history for top-flight longevity embraces another chance at its first major honour. Oliver Glasner, watched by three of his most celebrated Palace predecessors, delivered a superb performance – outfoxing Villa at every turn.
There was no Prince William at Wembley to watch his beloved Villa, the heir to the throne representing the British state at the funeral Mass for Pope Francis, although the president of the Football Association may have recognised this Villa performance. For all their great days this season, Villa are also capable of delivering others as insipid as this one.
For Eberechi Eze, it was a splendid afternoon, sweeping the first goal past Emiliano Martinez on 31 minutes. That was made by Ismaila Sarr, an outstanding performer who scored twice in the second half and edged Eze as the game’s most influential player. The Argentinian World Cup winner in goal for Villa might have done more to save the first two but then you could have said that about so many of Villa’s players on this day.
Their captain John McGinn, the indefatigable Scottish general, was nothing like his cannonball presence against Paris Saint Germain and Newcastle United this month. Ollie Watkins, playing ahead of the absentee Marcus Rashford, barely had a sight of goal. Morgan Rogers drifted out the game. Unai Emery’s team never tried to grab the game by the throat in the early stages and instead it came to grab them.
It was Palace’s day even in spite of a missed penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta who, that miscalculation aside, had an excellent game leading the line. Glasner picked a five-man defence that stifled Villa – and then Palace hit hard on the transition of possession. They did have a fine performance in goal from Dean Henderson who saved everything – as opposed to Martinez who could have done much better.
In the stands, Glasner’s immediate predecessor Roy Hodgson sat with Palace chairman Steve Parish. Elsewhere the cameras picked out Steve Coppell, the Palace manager in the 1990 FA Cup final replay defeat, and Alan Smith who was Coppell’s successor. The club has been through many convulsions, including administration, multiple relegations and all the attendant indignities, but now they have stability and a very good team and manager. They will likely approach the final against either Nottingham Forest or Manchester City as underdogs again, but they like it that way.
Certainly Palace’s record against Villa is superb. They have beaten Emery’s side in four of their last five encounters, including three this season in the league and in both Cups.
A beautiful goal from Eze, struck with his right foot and with both feet off the ground to get the right twist of the body that delivered the right loft and fade on the shot. He struck it from the edge of the box and had no real room for error, the ball coming across the front of the area from the right from Sarr, who had chased the ball down.
It was a glorious finish but in the moments before there were chances for Villa to close down Sarr who had first chased the ball down from Pau Torres then collected it out on the left and finally worked the ball to Eze. Again, the shot itself was close to Martinez but the Villa goalkeeper just seemed to react sluggishly. It was past him.
A couple of minutes earlier, Sarr had done the same ambush on Ezri Konsa and just clipped the Villa man’s foot in the act. Glasner wagged a disapproving finger at the decision to give the foul. Mateta had scored in the seconds that followed, a confidently assertive finish when he was played in by Sarr.
Palace had that in all their attacking. They turned the ball over quickly and then they were direct. Mateta had another run down the left when he got away from Boubacar Kamara and then Konsa. They looked sharp when they had the ball and they did not wait around.
Villa, by contrast, looked nothing like the side that had beaten PSG and Newcastle the previous week. With the exception of Morgan Rogers on the right wing it felt like none of the usual attackers had really made much of a scratch on Palace in the first half. Rogers drew Tyrick Mitchell into a booking in the first half with a strong run. Konsa had a header well-saved by Henderson.
The penalty came after Villa’s best period at the start of the second half. On 51 minutes, Adam Wharton slipped in Eze who drew the foul from Kamara. Mateta’s penalty was mystifyingly off-target. Wharton again began the move for Sarr’s first goal, stealing possession from Youri Tielemans and from there it ended up at the feet of Mateta who played in Sarr for a shot.
Then in the very final moments of the game with Villa stretched, another classic Palace counterpunch. This time it was the substitute Eddie Nketiah who won the ball from Konsa and then played in Sarr. It was a sign of his confidence by that stage that Sarr never looked likely to miss. A chastening afternoon for Villa.
The third FA Cup final of Palace’s history and the first where they will not face Manchester United. They will be very hard to beat.
07:51 PM BST
The world’s best? Martinez is not even the best in the Midlands
Read more...
07:50 PM BST
Unai Emery’s verdict
07:44 PM BST
Oliver Glasner’s reaction
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Oliver Glasner celebrates with Crystal Palace Marc Guehi. - TOLGA AKMEN/Shutterstock
07:33 PM BST
John McGinn gives the Villa reaction
07:24 PM BST
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish speaks to BBC Sport
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Ebere Eze was the official man of the match. - Dave Shopland/AP
07:19 PM BST
Game, set and match
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Crystal Palace celebrate Ismaila Sarr’s second goal. - Matthew Childs/Action Images
07:17 PM BST
Ebere Eze’s reaction
07:12 PM BST
You can guess what the Palace fans are singing...
07:11 PM BST
Full time: Crystal Palace 3 Aston Villa 0
1990, 2016 and now 2025: Crystal Palace are into the FA Cup final for only the third time in the history. This match was the stuff of Oliver Glasner’s dreams, with his gameplan working almost perfectly. In truth, the scoreline – emphatic though it is – flatters Villa.
Ebere Eze and Ismaila Sarr scored terrific goals either side of a missed penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Sarr raced clear to add a third in injury-time. Never mind the result; Palace’s performance was just immense.
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Ismaila Sarr made and scored two for Palace. - Crystal Pix/Getty Images
07:08 PM BST
Goal!
90+4 min: Palace 3 Villa 0 (Sarr) The icing on the cake. Nketiah wins the ball off Nketiah and slips it through to Sarr, who is too quick for Konsa and finishes coolly across Martinez. What a day for Crystal Palace!
07:05 PM BST
90 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Seven added minutes. Palace aren’t thrilled but in truth it could be an hour and I’m not sure Villa would score.
07:02 PM BST
88 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Palace substitutions Jefferson Lerma and Will Hughes replace Ebere Eze and Adam Wharton, who were both superb.
Villa are going out with a whimper.
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Matty Cash shows the strain of a miserable night for Villa. - David Klein/Reuters
07:01 PM BST
84 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Kamada is booked for a foul on Tielemans.
06:58 PM BST
84 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Palace substitution Tyrick Mitchell has run himself into the ground. Ben Chilwell replaces him at left wing-back.
06:55 PM BST
82 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Back down the other end, where Nketiah’s deflected shot is well saved by Martinez.
06:55 PM BST
81 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Villa go straight down the other end. Maatsen’s low cross looks set to reach Watkins in front of goal until Mitchell gets back to concede a corner. Superb defending.
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Unai Emery shows his frustration. - David Klein/Reuters
06:54 PM BST
80 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Great chance for Sarr! Palace should be out of sight. A corner is half cleared to Eze, who does superbly to keep the ball alive. Kamada then flips a teasing cross that is headed back across goal and wide by Sarr, six yards out. He should have scored.
06:52 PM BST
79 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
A substitution apiece Eddie Nketiah replaces Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who missed a penalty but was otherwise outstanding. Villa bring on Donyell Malen for Morgan Rogers.
06:52 PM BST
78 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Bailey’s low cross-shot is pushed away well by the diving Henderson, who is relieved to see the rebound evade Watkins.
Bailey has made a difference since coming on.
06:50 PM BST
77 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Villa are starting to apply a bit of pressure, albeit without creating any clear chances. A goal now would make things very interesting.
06:49 PM BST
75 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
The selfless Mateta tracks Barkley all the way into the Palace area and makes a vital sliding challenge. That’s brilliant. Moments later, Tielemans shoots wide under pressure.
06:46 PM BST
72 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Mateta presses Konsa, concedes a throw-in and reacts by conducting the Palace fans. He’s been a constant pain in Villa’s defensive derriere.
06:45 PM BST
72 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
06:44 PM BST
71 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Barkley drags a shot wide from about 25 yards. A goal would change the mood, but right now Palace are cruising.
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Ismaila Sarr and Daniel Munoz celebrate Palace’s second goal. - Dave Shopland/AP
06:43 PM BST
70 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Double substitution for Villa Jacob Ramsey and Ross Barkley replace Marco Asensio and Boubacar Kamara.
06:42 PM BST
69 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
06:41 PM BST
66 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Chance for Villa! Henderson punches an awkward cross straight to Bailey, who smashes a half-volley towards goal from about eight yards. It hits somebody on the line - either Pau Torres or one of two Palace defenders - and flies over the bar.
06:39 PM BST
65 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Richards is booked for a foul on Rogers.
06:39 PM BST
64 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Palace’s gameplan has worked perfectly and at the moment it’s hard to see a way back for Villa. Adam Wharton has been so good.
06:36 PM BST
63 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Tielemans shoots over from distance. Villa are really missing the directness and threat of Marcus Rashford, who is out of today’s game with a knock.
06:35 PM BST
61 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
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Ismaila Sarr and Ebere Eze celebrate the second goal. - Matthew Childs/Action Images
06:34 PM BST
60 min: Palace 2 Villa 0
Double substitution for Villa Leon Bailey and Ian Maatsen replace John McGinn and Lucas Digne. Apart from a 10-minute spell at the first half, Villa haven’t been at the races.
06:32 PM BST
Outstanding goal!
58 min: Palace 2 Villa 0 (Sarr) Palace are so close to their first FA Cup semi-final since 2016. It’s another brilliant goal. Wharton pressed Tielemans superbly in midfield and found Mateta. He moved the ball infield to Sarr, who ran to within 25 yards of goal and arrowed a right-foot shot into the bottom corner. That’s a marvellous finish - and a word too for Adam Wharton, who has been quite outstanding with and without the ball.
06:30 PM BST
56 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
06:30 PM BST
55 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
Incidentally Kamara, who fouled Eze for the penalty, is on a yellow card after being booked in the first half. Anthony Taylor decided the penalty was sufficient punishment, and in Kamara’s defence it was an accidental clash of legs.
06:28 PM BST
Mateta misses the penalty!
53 min: Palace 1 Villa 0 Mateta strolls up and sidefoots a penalty that brushes the outside of the right post. Martinez - who went the right way but couldn’t get there - celebrates as if he saved it himself. Maybe his outstanding penalty record was a factor because Mateta is rarely so imprecise from the spot.
06:25 PM BST
51 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
Penalty to Palace! Mitchell’s cross is cleared to Wharton, who shapes to shoot and plays a gorgeous disguised pass into Eze. Kamara comes across from the wrong side, catches Eze’s trailing leg and Anthony Taylor points to the spot. A clear penalty.
Oliver Glasner is having words with Aston Villa’s set-piece coach over something or other.
06:24 PM BST
49 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
Fine save by Henderson! Cash’s cross from ther right is met on the bounce by McGinn, 15 yards out. He helps it towards goal and Henderson leaps to tip it over.
The resulting corner is half cleared to Digne, whose cracking shot across goal from 25 yards is fingertipped round the post by Henderson. That’s a really good save, the best of the match so far.
06:21 PM BST
47 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
Eze has another pop from distance; this one flies high and wide.
06:19 PM BST
46 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
Aston Villa get the seocnd half under way. No changes, yet.
06:07 PM BST
Half-time verdict
06:07 PM BST
Should Martinez have saved Eze’s shot?
The BBC pundits, Wayne Rooney and Glenn Murray, think Emi Martinez should have done better on Eze’s goal. The shot was fairly central, and he got a touch on it, but it was viciously struck.
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Ebere Eze smashes Palace ahead. - Cameron Smith/The FA
06:05 PM BST
Half time: Palace 1 Villa 0
Palace lead through a scorcher of a goal from Ebere Eze. The match started very slowly but came to life after the goal, with Villa pressing and Palace looking so dangerous on the break. On balance, they fully deserve to be ahead.
06:02 PM BST
45+1 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
A Palace corner from the left is headed on at the near post and volleyed wide on the stretch by Lacroix. A very difficult chance.
06:02 PM BST
45 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
What a chance for Palace! Asensio’s shot is blocked by Lacroix after some neat interplay on the edge of the area. Palace break devastatingly, with Sarr rolling a perfect ball across the face of goal. Mitchell meets it 10 yards out, only to miss his kick and fall over. What a chance! It came to him on the right foot; had it been his left he would sure have scored.
05:59 PM BST
43 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
A superb half-volleyed cross from McGinn just evades the diving Konsa, who was still up following a corner. Villa have responded pretty well to going behind, though they still look vulnerable to the counter-attack.
05:57 PM BST
41 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
05:56 PM BST
40 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
Good save by Henderson! The resulting corner is curled deep by Asensio and met by Konsa, whose powerful downward header is pushed away awkwardly by Henderson. He didn’t have much reaction time so that’s a pretty good save.
05:55 PM BST
39 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
Chance for Sarr! Mateta does superbly on the left, marching past two players before curling a deep cross towards Sarr. He seems to ran past the ball and mistimes a header that is comfortably collected by Martinez. That looked a really good chance.
Villa break and Watkins’ ball across the face of the goal is crucially blocked.
05:54 PM BST
38 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
05:53 PM BST
36 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
05:50 PM BST
33 min: Palace 1 Villa 0
A clever corner routine from Villa. Tielemans rolls it to the near post, Asensio flicks it round the corner and McGinn arrives to take a first-time shot that is well blocked. Villa swing the ball back into the area and Pau Torres heads wide. A difficult chance.
05:47 PM BST
Brilliant goal!
31 min: Palace 1 Villa 0 (Eze) Ebere Eze scores yet another magnificent goal! You could put his portfolio of finishes in the Louvre. Sarr pressed Pau Torres high up the field, then cut inside and rolled the ball across to Eze on the edge of the D. He lashed a swerving first-time shot that brushed the right hand of Martinez and flew into the roof of the net. Wonderful.
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Crystal Palace players congratulate Ebere Eze on his marvellous goal. - GLYN KIRK/AFP
05:46 PM BST
29 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Mateta has a goal disallowed for a foul on Konsa, who misjudged a ball forward and then went over after a clash of legs with Mateta. He ran through and finished coolly, but the original decision has been upheld by VAR. Konsa actually kicked Mateta, who got his leg in front, but defenders usually get the benefit of any doubt in such situations.
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Jean-Philippe Mateta’s goal was ruled out. - Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
05:45 PM BST
27 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
05:42 PM BST
24 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
The first half-chance goes to Villa. Digne takes a throw-in, gets it back and curls a cross that bounces dangerously across the Palace area. Eventually it reaches Rogers, who hits a shot back across goal and wide. The bounce made it a difficult ball to take first time.
05:39 PM BST
23 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Villa have had 66 per cent of the possession, but you wouldn’t necessarily describe them as dominant. Neither team has had a shot on target.
05:37 PM BST
20 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Mitchell joins Kamara in the book after a foul on the right wing. Asensio’s free-kick is headed behind for a corner by Richards; nothing comes of it.
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Tyrick Mitchell is booked. - Mike Egerton/PA
05:34 PM BST
17 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Mateta charges forward and is fouled by the lunging Kamara. He gets the first yellow card of the game.
05:31 PM BST
15 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
As John said, the atmosphere is sensational. The game? Not so much, at least not yet. Both teams are showing each other oodles of respect.
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Oliver Glasner and Unai Emery watch on from the touchline. - Rob Newell/CameraSport
05:29 PM BST
14 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
05:28 PM BST
12 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Kamara wins the ball high up the field and has a pop from 25 yards. Over the top.
05:28 PM BST
10 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Digne plays a nice give-and-go with McGinn and tries to shape a pass around the defence for Watkins. Lacroix reads it well and intercepts.
05:25 PM BST
9 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Both these teams are excellent in transition, which means at the moment there’s a slight feeling of stalemate - lots of safe possession for both sides.
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Youri Tielemans is challenged by Ismaila Sarr. - Marc Atkins/Aston Villa FC
05:22 PM BST
5 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Balloons stop play! I’m not sure what to add to that really. The referee Anthony Taylor briefly stopped the game so that a few red and blue balloons could be popped.
05:21 PM BST
5 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
It’s been a quiet start, on the pitch if not in the stands, with both teams feeling each other out. If it was a boxing match you’d score the first round 10-10.
05:18 PM BST
3 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
You could barely see the action in the first couple of minutes, such was the smoke from the pre-match flares, but the fog it starting to clear now. The atmosphere is so good, a real throwback.
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Crystal Palace fans let off flares ahead of the game. - Dave Shopland/AP
05:17 PM BST
2 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
05:17 PM BST
1 min: Palace 0 Villa 0
Crystal Palace, in their home strip, kick off from left to right as we watch. Villa are in their white change strip.
05:13 PM BST
Here come the players
Which is our cue to remind you of the teams. The atmosphere is fabulous.
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1) Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta.
Subs: Turner, Ward, Lerma, Nketiah, Clyne, Hughes, Esse, Chilwell, Devenny.
Aston Villa (possible 4-2-3-1) Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Rogers, Asensio, McGinn; Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Mings, Maatsen, Garcia, Barkley, Onana, Bailey, Malen, Ramsey.
Referee Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
05:03 PM BST
Back in the XI
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John McGinn starts for Villa after being on the bench against Manchester City in midweek. - David Klein/Reuters
04:53 PM BST
The managers talk to BBC Sport
Oliver Glasner
Unai Emery
04:43 PM BST
Unai Emery’s bogey team
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Unai Emery is yet to beat Crystal Palace in his time at Aston Villa. - Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC
04:35 PM BST
Rashford not in Villa squad
04:34 PM BST
Rats the size of cats
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Crystal Palace supporters walk down Wembley Way. - Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
04:28 PM BST
Aston Villa team news
Ollie Watkins gets the nod up front, with John McGinn and Marco Asensio also returning to the side. Marcus Rashford, who has a knock and isn’t in the squad, Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey drop out of the team.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1) Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; McGinn, Kamara; Asensio, Tielemans, Rogers; Watkins.
04:26 PM BST
Crystal Palace team news
No surprises in the Palace team, with three changes from the draw at Arsenal. Chris Richards, Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta replace Jefferson Lerma, Justin Devenny and Eddie Nketiah.
04:13 PM BST
Holding FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley is a joke
By Jim White
This weekend, thousands will be heading to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-finals. And in many ways, when Aston Villa face Crystal Palace and Manchester City take on Nottingham Forest, it will be a significant day out for the club’s fans. Unlike at the final, when large numbers of the tickets are allocated to sponsors, FA guests and corporate hangers-on, these games will be watched almost entirely by the club’s devotees. Around 35,000 from each side will file through the gates, many on their first visit to the national stadium. The atmosphere will be partisan and noisy. Exactly what you want at a game of this status.
So it may seem a little harsh to deny the faithful that opportunity. But the fact is Wembley should not even be a consideration to host the semi-finals. They belong elsewhere. More than that, to hold them at Wembley is to undermine a fundamental part of what the FA Cup is all about.
Read more...
04:09 PM BST
Alan Pardew: If we had beaten Man Utd, Sir Alex would probably have gone
By Jason Burt
The FA Cup has helped define Alan Pardew. Three times, first as player, then twice as a manager, he has been dramatically denied in the final after extraordinary campaigns to get there.
Two of those finals – and an iconic semi-final when he scored the extra-time winning goal against Liverpool – are considered among the greatest ties in the competition’s illustrious 153-year history.
Before Crystal Palace’s semi-final against Aston Villa on Saturday, Telegraph Sport talked to Pardew, the former Palace midfielder and manager, about what happened in 1990 and 2016 – the only other occasions when Palace reached the final – and when he managed West Ham United in the 2006 final.
Read more...
03:59 PM BST
Good afternoon
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live, minute-by-minute coverage of Crystal Palace v Aston Villa at Wembley. This is a rare treat: an FA Cup semi-final involving two teams who a) haven’t won the competition for ages, on in Palace’s case ever and b) are serious contenders to win it this year.
Even with the recent improvement of Manchester City, who play Nottingham Forest tomorrow in the second semi-final, this feels like the most open FA Cup in a while. After a brief blip, Palace reminded everyone of their quality at the Emirates on Wednesday; and though Villa lost agonisingly at the Etihad 48 hours earlier, they remain one of the form teams in the country. Both sides are lethal on the counter-attack, which should make for a fascinating tactical battle.
“As a coach my challenge when I arrived here was to get some trophies along the way,” said Villa’s head coach Unai Emery. “We have an opportunity because we are in the semi-final, but there is a lot of work to do.
“I want to enjoy the semi-final about everything we are going to do. Travelling to London, being together, preparing the match, meeting tomorrow morning, the atmosphere in Wembley. The objective is to win, but the process is really important.”
For some teams just getting to Wembley for the semi-finals is a defining achievement. But, like Emery, Oliver Glasner was keen to stress that Palace don’t see things that way.
“Of course playing a semi-final is always great and it shows how well we have done in the competition, until now. But it’s just a semi-final. We’ll enjoy it, it’s the biggest stadium in England, it’s very traditional and we can play in front of 40,000 Crystal Palace fans. It’s a game. I don’t want to make it bigger than it is. It’s a football game and we feel well-prepared.”
Kick off 5.15pm.
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The Eagles have landed. - Michael Regan/The FA
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