Crystal Palace beat Millwall 4-2 on penalties at Selhurst Park to reach the fourth round of 2025-26 Carabao Cup after a 1-1 draw.
Walter Benitez’s saves from Tristan Crama and Aidomo Emakhu’s penalties saw Palace prevail 4-2 in the shootout, after Jean-Philippe Mateta, Chris Richards, Justin Devenny and Daichi Kamada scored the Eagles’ four penalties.
Richards flicked Jean-Philippe Mateta’s scruffy backheel shot into the net from a 73rd-minute corner to put Palace ahead, before Ryan Leonard equalised with a 91st-minute header from the Lions’ own corner.
Palace now have gone 16 games unbeaten in all competitions and will discover their fourth-round opposition next week on a currently unannounced date.
199 days on from their fiery FA Cup victory over Millwall at Selhurst Park en-route to the title, Palace enjoyed a quick start as summer signing, Yeremy Pino forced a save from Max Crocombe just 37 seconds into the tie.
Palace proceeded to dominate the opening half-hour during which ex Millwall player, Romain Esse saw a 15th-minute shot deflected, whilst Pino saw two further shots denied.
Millwall eventually found their footing and launched a quick 32nd-minute attack which saw Zak Sturge tee up Mihailo Ivanovic, yet the Serbian curled his shot wide of the top-right corner.
Alex Neil’s Lions unleashed another attack a minute later which saw substitute, Thierno Ballo tee up Camiel Neghli who dragged his shot wide of the bottom-right corner.
Ivanovic then saw a 38th-minute header saved by Palace’s Benitez after he met Wes Harding’s cross, but neither team found a breakthrough opener before half-time.
Palace however almost broke that deadlock just over a minute into the second half as Marc Guehi whipped in a cross to the far-right post, where Daniel Munoz thumped a header on target but Crocombe made a crucial save.
Ballo fired a 52nd-minute shot wide from Josh Coburn’s pass as Millwall went close before the reverse happened 15 minutes later, as Ballo teed up Coburn but the forward flicked his shot wide just yards from goal.
Palace eventually broke the deadlock from a 72nd-minute corner which Christiantus Uche headed down for Mateta to backheel into the net, but Richards got the final touch to flick the ball over the line to put the hosts ahead.
Millwall continued to pile on the pressure and Aidomo Emakhu forced a 90th-minute deflection from Maxence Lacroix, which set up Leonard to nod in a 91st-minute equaliser from Jack Howland’s corner delivery.
Mateta subsequently almost snatched victory for Palace just two minutes later to avoid the drama of a penalty shootout, but struck his left-footed shot wide.
Once the shootout commenced, Mateta netted Palace’s opener but Benitez dived to his right to deny Crama who stepped up for Millwall’s first spot-kick, whilst Richards doubled Palace’s lead with their second penalty.
Harding dispatched Millwall’s second penalty before Devenny restored Palace’s two-goal cushion with their third spot-kick, which Leonard then reduced back to a single-goal deficit.
Kamada netted Palace’s fourth goal which proved the match-clinching penalty, after Emakhu fired his penalty down the middle straight into Benitez’s arms.
What’s Next?
Crystal Palace resume their Premier League campaign with another London derby, as Glasner’s Eagles head to West Ham on Saturday 20 September at 3pm BST.
Millwall have almost a week now to prepare for their return to Championship action, which sees them entertain Watford at The Den on Monday 22 September at 8pm.
Teams
Crystal Palace: Walter Benitez, Jaydee Canvot, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guehi (Richards 61′), Daniel Munoz, Will Hughes, Daichi Kamada, Borna Sosa (Devenny 71′), Romain Esse (Uche 46′), Yeremy Pino (Lerma 71′), Jean-Philippe Mateta
Substitutes: Dean Henderson, Tyrick Mitchell, Jefferson Lerma, Christiantus Uche, Nathaniel Clyne, Chris Richards, Kaden Rodney, Justin Devenny, Rio Cardines
Millwall: Max Crocombe, Kamarl Grant (Emakhu 78′), Tristian Crama, Caleb Taylor, Wes Harding, Daniel Kelly (Ballo 23′), Ra’ees Bangura Williams (Leonard 78′), Zak Sturge, Camiel Neghli (Howland 78′), Derek Mazou-Sacko, Mihailo Ivanovic (Coburn 46′)
Substitutes: Steven Benda, Jake Cooper, Thierno Ballo, Ryan Leonard, Josh Coburn, Aidomo Emakhu, Joe Bryan, Ajay Matthews, Jack Howland
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