Crytal Palace triumphed over London neighbors Fulham with a 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage, thanks to an impressive performance from Eberechi Eze, securing their spot in the FA Cup semi-finals.
This week has been exceptional for Eze, who netted his inaugural goal for England against Latvia at Wembley on Monday. He returned to the national stadium with the Eagles after executing a stunning strike that hit the far post and assisting Ismaila Sarr, who headed in the second goal for Palace.
In the second half, Eddie Nketiah added the final touch, scoring through Bernd Leno’s legs.
Fulham had put pressure on Palace initially, with Jefferson Lerma striking the crossbar and Rodrigo Muniz missing an early opportunity, while Andreas Pereira also squandered a good chance after a fine setup by Calvin Bassey.
Fulham sought a red card for Palace’s Adam Wharton when he, already on a yellow, kicked out at Muniz. The referee issued a free-kick but decided against further punishment after a VAR review. Fulham manager Marco Silva voiced his disappointment, stating, “It should have been a second yellow card,” emphasizing the need for stricter officiating.
After the break, Palace was organized, with Fulham struggling to find routes to goal despite a few close calls. When Fulham failed to capitalize, Palace countered effectively, and Nketiah’s late goal sealed the win.
Fulham, having experienced their fifth consecutive defeat in the FA Cup quarter-finals, need to regroup quickly for their upcoming match against Arsenal as they aim for European qualification via the Premier League.
In contrast, Palace is gearing up for a return to Wembley on April 26/27, eager to avenge their previous semi-final loss to Chelsea and contend for the coveted FA Cup trophy.
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