Crystal Palace comfortably defeated Fulham to secure a place in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

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Eberechi Eze capped off a remarkable week by contributing a goal and an assist as a sharp Crystal Palace triumphed over London rivals Fulham with a 3-0 victory on Saturday, securing their spot in the FA Cup semifinals. The winger, who netted his first goal for England earlier in the week, delivered a stunning opener in the 34th minute against the run of play, surprising the home fans. Just four minutes later, Eze's cross from the left was headed in by Ismaïla Sarr, giving Palace a firm grip on the match.

The second half saw Fulham pressing hard in Palace's half in an attempt to respond, but they were caught off guard again when substitute Eddie Nketiah, who won the Cup with Arsenal in 2020, scored in the 75th minute, sending a shot past Bernd Leno. Oliver Glasner's Palace now looks forward to their second Wembley semifinal in four years, with hopes of clinching the FA Cup for the first time in their history, while Fulham will focus on their Premier League campaign in pursuit of European qualification.

Before the match, much of the discussion centered around the return of Palace's top scorer this season, Jean-Philippe Mateta, who had recently recovered from a severe facial injury sustained in the previous round against Millwall. Mateta donned a protective mask for his ear wound, which required over 20 stitches, and the enthusiastic Palace supporters chanted his name. However, it was Eze who truly shone on the day. "We have confidence in ourselves and know our capabilities," he remarked. "Games like today demonstrate the mentality that will propel us further in the tournament."

The historic London stadium, basking in the lovely spring sunshine by the River Thames, provided an ideal backdrop for the first FA Cup meeting between the two clubs since 1907. With many traditional contenders having exited the tournament, fans from both Fulham and Palace arrived with genuine hope that this could be the year they secure their first major trophy. Fulham, who were FA Cup runners-up in 1975, controlled the early stages of the match, with Rodrigo Muniz coming close and Andreas Pereira missing a good opportunity. Despite Fulham's territorial advantage, they struggled to convert their chances.