Crystal Palace have booked their spot in the FA Cup final for only the third time in the club’s long history, with Ismaila Sarr playing the hero’s role. The Senegalese winger scored a brilliant second-half brace to inspire a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, sending Palace fans into dreamland.
A Historic Day for the Eagles
The Eagles have never won the FA Cup before, coming heartbreakingly close in 1990 and 2016. But after a dominant performance under the arch, Crystal Palace will have another shot at lifting the famous trophy next month.
It was a game filled with drama, missed opportunities, and moments of brilliance — but ultimately, Palace’s clinical finishing and defensive resilience proved far too much for Aston Villa, who struggled to capitalize on their moments of pressure.
With their place at Wembley in the final now secured, Palace’s fans are daring to dream of making history.
Early Tension and a Cautious Start
As the teams emerged into the bright London sunshine, the atmosphere inside Wembley was electric. Flags waved, songs rang out from both ends, and a sense of expectation hung in the air.
However, the opening stages of the match were cagey, with neither side willing to commit too many players forward. There were some speculative efforts — Boubacar Kamara sent a hopeful shot over the bar for Villa, while Ismaila Sarr fired an effort high and wide at the other end — but clear chances were at a premium in the early going.
Aston Villa, despite missing the injured Marcus Rashford, looked composed in possession, while Crystal Palace waited for opportunities to strike on the counter.
Morgan Rogers came close to breaking the deadlock midway through the half when a throw-in bounced kindly for him, but the young winger could only send his half-volley just wide of Dean Henderson’s post.
VAR Drama and Eze’s Moment of Magic
Palace thought they had taken the lead just before the half-hour mark. Jean-Philippe Mateta bundled the ball into the net after a scramble in the box, but VAR ruled the goal out after replays showed Mateta had fouled Ezri Konsa in the build-up.
Undeterred, Palace kept pressing — and minutes later, they found the breakthrough.
Ismaila Sarr, ever alert, pounced on a sloppy pass from Pau Torres near the Villa penalty area. The winger kept his cool, picking out the onrushing Eberechi Eze, who curled a superb first-time finish beyond Emiliano Martinez into the far corner.
The Palace end of Wembley erupted as Eze celebrated with his teammates, knowing the importance of an early lead in a high-stakes cup tie.
Villa attempted to respond before half-time, with Konsa forcing Henderson into a smart low save from a corner, but Palace held firm and carried their advantage into the break.
Second-Half Fireworks and Missed Opportunities
Villa started the second half with real intent. John McGinn almost levelled proceedings with a fierce volley that Dean Henderson did well to parry away, and Lucas Digne went close moments later, firing narrowly wide through a crowded box.
Palace, though, had a golden chance to double their lead when they were awarded a penalty just eight minutes after the restart. Eze, a constant menace with his driving runs, was hauled down by Kamara inside the box. After a lengthy VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot.
Jean-Philippe Mateta stepped up with confidence — but his penalty clipped the outside of the post and went wide, leaving the score at 1-0 and offering Villa a lifeline.
For a few minutes, it looked as though Palace might pay for that miss as Villa pressed high and piled on the pressure.
Sarr Seals It With A Brilliant Brace
Just when the game seemed poised for a nervy finish, Crystal Palace struck again — and it was that man Ismaila Sarr.
After Adam Wharton intercepted a sloppy Villa pass in midfield, Mateta cushioned a clever touch into Sarr’s path. The Senegalese winger sprinted forward, composed himself, and fired low into the bottom-left corner past Martinez.
It was a devastating counterattack and a dagger to Villa’s hopes. Suddenly, Palace had breathing room and could afford to soak up pressure while looking to strike again on the counter.
Villa threw on substitutes Leon Bailey and Ross Barkley in search of a miracle, but Henderson remained resolute, denying both players in quick succession.
Sarr had a chance to add a third when he headed wide from a pinpoint Eze cross, but he would not be denied for long.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time, with Villa’s defence stretched and weary, Ismaila Sarr latched onto a loose ball, surged past Konsa with ease, and coolly slotted home his second of the match. Wembley erupted once again as Palace fans realized they were on the brink of something truly special.
Moments later, the referee blew the final whistle, confirming Palace’s place in the final.
Standout Performances
Ismaila Sarr will deservedly take the headlines with his two-goal display, but this was a team effort from Palace. Eberechi Eze was magnificent throughout, pulling the strings in midfield and producing moments of magic that kept Villa’s defence on edge.
At the back, Dean Henderson had one of his best performances in a Palace shirt, making several crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet.
Special mention must also go to Adam Wharton, whose energy and interceptions in midfield disrupted Villa’s rhythm time and again.
A Dream Within Reach
Crystal Palace now await the winner of Sunday’s semi-final between Manchester City and Chelsea. Regardless of their opponent, the Eagles will head into the final full of belief that they can finally lift the FA Cup for the first time.
After so many near-misses and heartbreaks in past seasons, this Palace team — youthful, fearless, and full of attacking flair — may just be the ones to bring glory back to Selhurst Park.
For Villa, the disappointment will be bitter. Unai Emery’s men had their moments but lacked the clinical edge that Palace showed at key moments.
As the fans in red and blue sang long after the final whistle, the dream is alive: Crystal Palace are heading back to Wembley, and this time, they believe it’s their year.
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Key Moments:
- 31’ – Goal: Eberechi Eze curls home a brilliant opener after being set up by Sarr.
- 53’ – Missed Penalty: Mateta hits the post from the spot after Eze is fouled.
- 58’ – Goal: Ismaila Sarr fires in Palace’s second after a fast counter-attack.
- 90+4’ – Goal: Sarr caps a wonderful performance with a stoppage-time strike.
