Crystal Palace reaches FA Cup final for the third time after dismantling Aston Villa | iNFOnews.ca
Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at the Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Crystal Palace reaches FA Cup final for the third time after dismantling Aston Villa

LONDON (AP) — Crystal Palace is getting another shot at winning the FA Cup — and won’t have to meet Manchester United in the final this time.

Palace beat Aston Villa 3-0 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to advance to the May 17 title match back at the home of English soccer.

It will be the south London club’s third appearance in the final, after 1990 and 2016. On both occasions, Palace was beaten by Man United.

Eberechi Eze smashed home a shot from the edge of the area in the 31st minute for the opening goal after good work from Ismaila Sa, who finished Villa off with two second-half goals.

Sa scored in the 58th and again in the fourth minute of stoppage time to seal a convincing win over an opponent that reached the Champions League quarterfinals this season.

Crystal Palace reaches FA Cup final for the third time after dismantling Aston Villa | iNFOnews.ca
Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze celebrates his Man of the Match Award during the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at the Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Villa — a seven-time FA Cup winner — was eliminated from Europe by Paris Saint-Germain last week and has just a top-five finish in the Premier League to play for as it looks to secure a return to the Champions League. Villa is in seventh place in the league.

It could have been a bigger margin of victory for Palace, with Jean-Philippe Mateta missing a penalty in the 53rd.

Palace, which has never won a major trophy, will meet Manchester City or Nottingham Forest in the final. They meet on Sunday, also at Wembley.

Crystal Palace reaches FA Cup final for the third time after dismantling Aston Villa | iNFOnews.ca
Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of game during the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at the Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace reaches FA Cup final for the third time after dismantling Aston Villa | iNFOnews.ca
Crystal Palace’s head coach Oliver Glasner reacts at the end of the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at the Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Crystal Palace reaches FA Cup final for the third time after dismantling Aston Villa | iNFOnews.ca
Crystal Palace directors John Textor, left, Mark Bright, centre and Steve Parish celebrate as former Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson and his wife Sheila, bottom left, applaud at the end of the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at the Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

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