“8.5/10 performance – undeniably the man of the match” – Sensational Palace star has become undroppable after impressive 3-0 win over Fulham.
Crystal Palace advanced to the FA Cup semi-finals with a dominant 3-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Fulham started the match brightly, but it was Palace who almost opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Jefferson Lerma unleashed a powerful volley from 25 yards out, only to see his strike crash off the crossbar with Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno well beaten. That miss was a close call for Leno, as it would have been a stunning goal had it gone in.
Just eight minutes later, Palace’s Eberechi Eze made no such mistake. His curling shot struck the inside of the post and found its way into the net, giving Palace a 1-0 lead despite Fulham’s better overall play.
Four minutes after that, Eze was involved again, this time providing an assist for Ismaila Sarr. Eze whipped in a precise cross from the left, and Sarr headed it home from close range to put Palace 2-0 up, a crucial advantage in this FA Cup quarter-final.
Despite Fulham’s possession and control, Palace went into halftime with a two-goal lead. In the 68th minute, Fulham came close to pulling one back, but Sarr made a key block to preserve Palace’s lead.
The game remained tightly contested until the 75th minute when substitute Eddie Nketiah sealed Palace’s victory. Just five minutes after replacing Jean-Philippe Mateta, Nketiah capitalized on a well-timed counterattack, slipping the ball past Leno to make it 3-0. That goal ensured Palace’s progression to the semi-finals at Wembley.
Fulham Player Ratings
- GK: Bernd Leno – 5/10
Leno couldn’t do much about the goals, as they were all well-executed by Palace. - RB: Timothy Castagne – 5.5/10
Had a tough time dealing with Eze and was beaten in most of their encounters. - CB: Joachim Andersen – 7/10
While his passing caused some problems for Palace, Andersen couldn’t prevent the goals. - CB: Calvin Bassey – 6.5/10
Provided a strong attacking threat in the first half with dangerous runs, while also being solid defensively. - LB: Antonee Robinson – 7/10
Played well despite being limited by an injury and had a solid defensive performance. - CM: Sander Berge – 7.5/10
Impressive in possession and played a key role in midfield on both sides of the ball. - CM: Sasa Lukic – 5.5/10
Aggressive in midfield but lacked impact and was subbed off in the 64th minute. - AM: Andreas Pereira – 5/10
Though he created a few chances, Pereira wasted possession frequently and disrupted many of Fulham’s attacks. - RW: Alex Iwobi – 5/10
Was also wasteful in possession and hindered Fulham’s offensive efforts. - ST: Rodrigo Muniz – 7/10
Held his own in physical duels against Palace’s defense and contributed well with his link-up play. - LW: Willian – 6/10
Had plenty of the ball but struggled to make an impact aside from a few decent crosses. - SUB: Adama Traore – 6/10
Provided some threat with his pace and strength, but his final ball lacked quality. - SUB: Emile Smith-Rowe – N/A
Made little impact after coming on. - SUB: Raul Jimenez – N/A
Didn’t contribute much after entering the game. - SUB: Ryan Sessegnon – N/A
Had little impact after coming on. - SUB: Tom Cairney – N/A
Barely featured after his substitution.
Crystal Palace Player Ratings
- GK: Dean Henderson – 7/10
Made crucial saves to keep Palace in the game when Fulham pressed. - RWB: Daniel Munoz – 7.5/10
Worked hard throughout, showing energy and defensive solidity despite not having his usual attacking output. - CB: Chris Richards – 7/10
Strong defensively, particularly in his work alongside Munoz to contain Willian and defend against Muniz. - CB: Maxence Lacroix – 7.5/10
Strong in the air and composed defensively, Lacroix was key in organizing the defense under pressure. - CB: Marc Guehi – 7.5/10
Dominated physically and helped stabilize Palace’s defense when Fulham looked to apply pressure. - LWB: Tyrick Mitchell – 8/10
A tireless performance, contributing equally in attack and defense throughout the match. - CM: Jefferson Lerma – 7/10
Came close to scoring with a stunning volley and was instrumental in keeping Palace organized in midfield. - CM: Adam Wharton – 7.5/10
Impressive in his calm approach to the game, Wharton evaded Fulham’s press and dictated play from midfield. - RW: Ismaila Sarr – 7.5/10
Though not heavily involved, Sarr made his impact with a crucial goal. - ST: Jean-Philippe Mateta – 5.5/10
Had a quiet match and was replaced by Nketiah in the 70th minute. - LW: Eberechi Eze (Man of the Match) – 8.5/10
Eze was by far the best player on the pitch, with a brilliant goal and a perfectly delivered assist for Sarr. - SUB: Eddie Nketiah – 7.5/10
Made an immediate impact, scoring within minutes of his introduction to seal the win for Palace. - SUB: Daichi Kamada – 7.5/10
Assisted Nketiah’s goal and seamlessly integrated into the game after replacing Wharton. - SUB: Nathaniel Clyne – N/A
Had little impact after coming on. - SUB: Justin Devenny – N/A
Made no significant contribution after his substitution. - SUB: Matheus Franca – N/A
Didn’t make much of an impact following his introduction.
