Palace beat Villa 3-0 to enter FA Cup final

Wembley, April 27 (IANS) Goals from Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr sent Crystal Palace to their first FA Cup Final in nine years with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.

This is only the third time Palace have reached the final of this competition, also getting there in 1990 and 2016 when they also lost to Manchester United.

A pulsating encounter was ultimately decided by two goals of the highest quality, as Eze put Palace ahead after half an hour with a stunning curled effort from just outside the box before Sarr drilled home to double the lead just before the hour.

It proved a timely second for Palace, after Jean-Philippe Mateta had missed a penalty for the Eagles just a minute earlier, but it was not enough to dampen a famous afternoon for the South Londoners.

Villa pushed hard for a way back into the contest but were unable to find a way past a resolute Crystal Palace defence, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson producing a handful of fine saves.

The Eagles then wrapped up victory in style, as Sarr broke free in stoppage time to slot home for his second, and Palace's third, of the afternoon.

Crystal Palace, who are just a win away from lifting their first major trophy in their 120-year history after a dream day at Wembley Stadium,

will face the winner of Sunday's second semi-final between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.

Villa have won the FA Cup seven times, but they have not lifted the trophy since 1957. That 68-year wait to lift the FA Cup goes on, and the Premier League is now their only route into European football.

Semifinal hero Eze said Palace will be "100% confident" when they return to Wembley for the FA Cup final next month.

"It's a special day. I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to play here, to win, to go to the final. We want to go all the way and we believe we can do it.

"We're 100% [confident of winning the trophy]. 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," he told BBC Sport.

--IANS

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