Eberechi Eze leads Crystal Palace into FA Cup semi-finals after 3-0 win over Fulham
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze was the match-winner with two decisive moments in a matter of minutes.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
LONDON – Eberechi Eze inspired Crystal Palace to a 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final win at Fulham on March 29, with a goal and an assist in a four-minute period in the first half.
Fresh from scoring his first England goal against Latvia earlier in the week, the attacking midfielder broke the deadlock with a stunning strike from outside the box.
He then turned provider for Ismaila Sarr to rapidly double Palace’s lead and Eddie Nketiah added more gloss to the scoreline as a second-half substitute.
According to the BBC, Eze’s 10 assists for Palace in all competitions this season is as many as in his previous two seasons combined (four in 2022-23, six in 2023-24).
“I’m happy to help the team and that’s what I’m here for,” he said.
“We didn’t start the best, it was difficult and there was a lot of defending but eventually we broke them down.
“We’re confident in ourselves and we know what we can do, we know what we are capable of. It’s games like today where you show the mentality which will get you further in the tournament.”
After a difficult start to the season, Palace are one of England’s form teams as Oliver Glasner’s men have also marched up the Premier League table to 12th in recent months.
The Eagles have won their last six away games, including another 2-0 win at Craven Cottage in February, and will believe they can go on to win the FA Cup for the first time.
Palace were able to welcome back French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta for the first time, since he needed 25 stitches for a ear wound during his side’s fifth-round win over Millwall four weeks ago.
But it was Eze who was the match-winner with two decisive moments in a matter of minutes.
The 26-year-old cut inside on his favoured right foot to curl in off the far post to open the scoring on 34 minutes.
He then jinked past Sander Berge and showed his ability on either foot, this time with an inch-perfect left-footed cross for Sarr to head in at the near post.
“Eberechi’s goal was unbelievable,” said Glasner. “I told him his goal was so important as we got the belief back.
“You need something, some positive actions when you’re struggling in a game. But it’s not fair today just to talk about one player, it was a real team effort.”
Fulham are four places and six points above Palace in the Premier League and will now turn their focus to trying to qualify for the Champions League for the first time by finishing in the top five.
AFP
