Ismaila Sarr’s second-half brace fired Crystal Palace past Aston Villa into the 2024-25 FA Cup Final with a 3-0 victory at Wembley Stadium.
Eberechi Eze fired Palace into a 31st-minute lead from Sarr’s cutback pass after the latter intercepted Lucas Digne’s back-pass to Pau Torres.
Sarr wrapped up Palace’s progress to a third FA Cup Final with a low strike in the 58th minute from Jean-Philippe Mateta’s flick-on of Adam Wharton’s pass, before he struck again in the third minute of injury-time .
Palace will now await the winner of Nottingham Forest’s semi-final against Manchester City in the Grand Final on Saturday 17 May, at Wembley Stadium, London.
Speaking to BBC One post-match, Eze iterated that Palace believe that they can win the FA Cup for the first time irrespective of whether they face Forest or City in the final.
“100% [confident]. We have showed performances like this all the time, we’re not worried or fearful of facing anyone. I trust us that we will put in the work and hopefully we can do it.”
Despite having avoided defeat in their four previous meetings against Villa since Oliver Glasner’s appointment as manager in February 2024, Palace found themselves second-best in early possession amidst a brief pause in the fifth minute to remove balloons from the Eagles’ end.
Villa however struggled to produce much quality in the opening half-hour aside from Boubacar Kamara’s 25-yard attempt and a half-volley shot from Morgan Rogers.
Palace however dug in defensively and almost snatched a 29th-minute lead after Mateta intercepted Ezri Konsa and fired in past Emiliano Martinez, but his goal was disallowed after referee – Anthony Taylor ruled that he had fouled Konsa as they met Chris Richards’ long ball.
Palace however weren’t deterred as just two minutes later, Sarr intercepted Digne’s back-pass to Torres and cut back for Eze, who calmly bent his shot in off the underside of the crossbar to put the Eagles in front.
Both teams consequently burst into life as Palace almost doubled their lead with 38 minutes on the clock from Mateta’s tightly-angled cross on the left flank, which Sarr headed wide across goal.
Villa subsequently broke forward apace but Maxence Lacroix blocked Ollie Watkins’ shot, before Dean Henderson scooped Youri Tielemans’ header off the line to protect Palace’s lead into half-time from the subsequent corner.
Unai Emery’s Villa quickly found their best attacking gears early in the second half as John McGinn saw a volley flicked over in the 49th minute, just minutes after Eze had curled wide of the top-right corner for Palace in a high-energy restart.
Palace however looked the more composed team which soon showed as Adam Wharton teed up Eze with a pass into the box, only for Kamara to bring down the winger.
Mateta stepped up in the 53rd minute but bent his penalty wide of the right corner onto the right post and behind as Martinez spared Villa’s blushes.
Palace however refused to let Mateta’s missed penalty deflate their belief and soon got rewarded in the 58th minute as Mateta flicked Wharton’s pass on for Sarr, with the Senegal forward free to rifle into the bottom-left corner to double the Eagles’ lead.
Villa in response turned up the intensity as Tielemans and substitute, Leon Bailey saw shots denied, whilst Matty Cash dragged an unintentional shot wide in the 86th minute as he tried to tee up Watkins to poke into the left corner.
Sarr eventually put Villa’s FA Cup dreams to bed with a 93rd-minute strike into the bottom-left corner to complete his brace from Eddie Nketiah’s pass, after the latter intercepted Tielemans and broke forward on a quick breakaway attack.
Palace’s victory secured only their third appearance in the Final, although it will be their first FA Cup Final against a team other than Manchester United, after the Red Devils beat the Eagles in 1990 and 2016 respectively.
What’s Next?
Palace have nine days until they can turn their focus back to the Premier League which sees them host Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May, in a 8pm BST kick-off.
Villa must switch their focus back to the top-five race in the top-flight on Saturday 3 May as they host Fulham at Villa Park in a 12:30pm kick-off.
Teams
Crystal Palace: Dean Henderson, Chris Richards, Maxime Lacroix, Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz, Adam Wharton (Hughes 88′), Daichi Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell (Chilwell 84′), Ismaila Sarr, Eberechi Eze (Lerma 88′), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Nketiah 79′)
Substitutes: Ben Chilwell, Nathaniel Clyne, Justin Devenny, Will Hughes, Romain Esse, Jefferson Lerma, Eddie Nketiah, Matt Turner, Joel Ward
Aston Villa: Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne (Maatsen 60′), John McGinn (Bailey 60′), Boubacar Kamara (Barkley 70′), Morgan Rogers (Malen 79′), Youri Tielemans, Marco Asensio (Ramsey 69′), Ollie Watkins
Substitutes: Leon Bailey, Ross Barkley, Andres Garcia, Ian Maatsen, Donyell Malen, Tyrone Mings, Amadou Onana, Robin Olsen, Jacob Ramsey
Referee – Anthony Taylor
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