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Ed Aarons was at Wembley. His report is in, and here it is! Congratulations to Crystal Palace, commiserations to Aston Villa, and thank you for reading this MBM.
An extremely gracious Unai Emery talks to the BBC. “They deserved to win … they played better than us … we tried to compete, dominate and impose … but when they scored the first goal it caused difficulties for us … we only reacted when it was 2-0 … we dominated better and created chances but didn’t score a goal … in transition they are a very good team … they scored a third goal and they deserved to win … in 90 minutes we had our moments … but I accept it … we were very motivated for this semi-final but we lost and we will keep going … two years ago when I arrived here we were in a bad moment … how we are increasing our level is going so, so quick … semi-final of Conference League … quarter-final of Champions League … semi-final of FA Cup … everything we are doing is increasing our demands … loss is something you have to accept … of course we are sorry for our supporters … thank you to our supporters for how they support us … congratulations to Crystal Palace … we keep going.”
Oliver Glasner speaks to the BBC. “All the credit to the players … they have to work so hard … overcame a few difficult moments … especially when we missed the penalty … Dean [Henderson] made one or two great saves … our second goal gave us more control … an unbelievable performance … we never lost our heads … so well done … the first goal was winning the ball … the second and third goals were an unbelievable counter-press … the players did excellent … such great characters … always believed in us … always working hard.”
He’s then shown footage of his celebration for the third goal, which saw him racing halfway down the touchline waving his arms around in the carefree style, and threatening to break into a full Jose-Mourinho-at-Old-Trafford-style sprint, before thinking better of it and turning back, palms down apologetically to the fourth official! “I did this when we scored the equaliser in the 94th minute against Newcastle, I sprinted to the corner and celebrated, and conceded a yellow card. I was worried about a red card and I might miss the final! So I said OK, stop, stop!”
A sporting response from Aston Villa captain John McGinn, talking to the BBC. “Obviously a massive disappointment … the manager just spoke at length to remind us how far we’ve come as a team and a group … that’s not to get away from the disappointment … the club hasn’t experienced a trophy for a long time … we’ll use the hurt to come back next season … the overriding feeling is of hurt and disappointment … we’ll try to get back to the Champions League … we can’t sulk … we’re as disappointed as every supporter … we weren’t at our best, that’s clear … I don’t think anyone can watch the game and say Palace didn’t deserve to win … they had weapons to hurt us and our weapons weren’t as powerful … we’ve had a lot of praise in the last couple of seasons and deservedly so … now we’ll get criticism … we’ll take it on the chin … we’re building something special … the managers, staff and owners … we’ll be back … obviously it stings … some days football comes and punches you in the face and today’s one of those days.”
Eberechi Eze, the player of the match, speaks to the BBC. “It’s special … a special day … grateful to God for the opportunity to play here and to win … to go to the final… we want to go all the way and win … I saw the opportunity to shoot … I’m always trying my luck … always taking shots … we work on this type of stuff … I’m grateful to God that I’ve scored today and helped the team … Ismaila Sarr is top … I probably got this [the player-of-the-match award] a bit prematurely! … so I’ll be giving it to him inside! … he’s a top player and has helped us so much this season … I’m grateful to him too … we’ve proved we’re not fearful of facing anyone … we will put the work in to prepare … hopefully we can go on and do it!”
What lovely words from a man in a state of mellow bliss. And such generosity of spirit towards his team-mate Ismaila Sarr, who as Alan Shearer on the BBC stated earlier, ran him close for the player-of-the-match award. Crystal Palace are a team all right. A delightful interview.
Eberechi Eze can’t hide his delight. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
This scoreline doesn’t flatter Crystal Palace at all. They’ve scored three magnificent goals. They had another disallowed for a very soft foul. They missed a penalty. They were utterly, completely, exquisitely dominant. Aston Villa didn’t show up … but then how much of that is down to Palace simply refusing to let them play? All three goals were the result of Villa’s inability to deal with Palace’s relentless press … and when they coughed up possession, Palace pounced both ruthlessly and stylishly. If they put on another show like this in the final, Manchester City or Nottingham Forest will have their work cut out to stop them winning their first-ever FA Cup! But now let them enjoy the moment. They deserve this.
The Eagles have soared into the final! Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Crystal Palace are worthy winners, and will play either Manchester City or Nottingham Forest in next month’s FA Cup final. To mix and match some classic pop, Oliver’s Army are Glad All Over!
90 min +6: Another Villa corner comes to nothing. You can’t fault their efforts – they’ve attacked all afternoon – but Palace have held firm and there’s been no way through. Villa have been second best. Palace completely on top!
90 min +5: Oliver Glasner by contrast is a picture of delight, as he nips up and down the touchline waving his arms in celebration! Palace are heading for their third FA Cup final, and they thoroughly deserve it!
… and Unai Emery is certainly looking on grimly now! Nketiah robs Tielemans with ease and slips the ball down the middle for Sarr, who tears clear of Konsa before lashing an unstoppable shot into the bottom right. Palace are in the final!
Sarr seals the win! Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Palace in dreamland! Photograph: Cameron Smith/FA/Getty Images
90 min +3: Villa probe this way and that, but Palace hold their shape, and eventually Barkley runs the ball out for a throw. Unai Emery looks on grimly.
90 min +1: Maatsen and Bailey buzz down the right. Richards shanks a clearance to Malen, who returns the favour by slicing a shot out for a throw on the right. All very scrappy now, like either team – for wildly differing reasons – will care.
90 min: Barkley and Bailey try to exchange passes in the Palace box, but there are too many other folk swarming around, and eventually the ball squeaks through to Henderson. Palace are nearly there … though there will be seven bonus minutes. Can Villa find the goals that would force extra time?
89 min: Palace replace Eze, who has been named player of the match, and Wharton, who will have run him close for that award, with Lerma and Hughes. Palace looking to lock this result down. Their fans en fête.
88 min: Torres attempts to release Malen down the left but whistles a wild pass out for a goal kick. Henderson again takes his time over the restart, the prerogative of a goalkeeper whose team are two goals up with the clock running out.
Some glum faces at the Villa end. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters
86 min: Cash advances down the inside-right channel and enters the box, before hitting a low swerving shot-cum-cross through a busy box and out for a goal kick. Any touch and that could easily have flown into the net. Cash puts his head in his hands.
The Palace fans can sense a famous victory! Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters
85 min: Malen swings the free kick in from the left. Sarr eyebrows it clear. Bailey returns it from the right. At the far post, Barkley attempts to force the ball goalwards from a tight angle, but can only flap the side netting.
84 min: Kamada clatters into Tielemans out on the left touchline. Late and unnecessary. He goes into the book. A free kick and a chance for Villa to line up on the edge of the Palace box.
83 min: Chilwell comes on for Mitchell.
82 min: This is glorious end-to-end fun. Now Nketiah powers a shot in from the left, the ball bagatelling it’s way through Konsa into the hands of Martinez.
81 min: … and it could have instantly been 2-1, with Maatsen crossing low from the left for Watkins, only for Lacroix to arrive just in time to deflect out for a corner, from which nothing comes! Villa are giving it a good go now.
80 min: Kamada sashays down the left and crosses for Sarr, who heads across Martinez from six yards and wide left. It should have been three!
79 min: Mateta might have missed a penalty, but otherwise he’s been magnificent. He gets the ovation his efforts deserve as he’s replaced by Nketiah. Meanwhile it’s not been a beautiful day in the north-London neighbourhood for Mr Rogers, and he makes way for Malen.
78 min: … though they’re relentlessly pouring forward. Bailey, who has looked lively since coming on, shoots from a tight angle on the right. Henderson parries and the ball’s hoicked clear.
77 min: Ramsey probes down the left but his low cross-cum-shot is deflected harmlessly into the arms of Henderson. A sense of desperation emanating from Villa now.
75 min: Bailey twists his way down the right and cuts back for Barkley, who prepares to shoot only to be startled by Mateta, tracking back and slide-tackling clear. That had to be perfectly timed or it would have been a penalty. What a response he’s given to missing his own spot kick. He’s never stopped running and working for his team.
74 min: Bailey wins a corner down the right but nothing comes of it. Henderson has had very little to do since that quick-fire pair of saves early in the second half.
73 min: Munoz crosses from the right. Konsa intercepts with his shoulder. Palace make a weak claim for a penalty, but you can tell the heart’s not in it. We play on.
72 min: Wharton starts another attack, finding Mateta down the right. Mateta flicks on for Sarr, whose low cross evades Eze in the middle. Mateta then chases down Konsa by the left-hand corner flag. He blocks a clearance, which he then celebrates as much as he would a goal. Well, nearly. His fans cheer wildly. Palace well on top.
70 min: Another double change by Villa, for whom the clock is suddenly not a friend. Asensio and Kamara make way for Ramsey and Barkley, the latter immediately into the action. He sends a dribbler wide left of goal from distance. Henderson doesn’t rush to restart the game.
69 min: Eze has opportunities to launch an attack, with Mateta and Munoz either side of him. But he clanks into Kamara, and Villa counter. Rogers runs purposefully down the inside-left channel but is eventually crowded out. Palace doing a good job of snuffing most of Villa’s attacks out right now.
67 min: Watkins twists and turns in the Palace box on the left. He finds Rogers, who wedges across towards Bailey. There’s time to chest down, but Bailey’s shot from eight yards, through a thicket of players, pings off his own man Torres and out for a goal kick. Big chance, and a reminder that Villa are not out of this yet. One goal back and everything changes. Again.
65 min: Richards goes into the book for a poor slide into Rogers. The defender has the good grace not to complain about the decision.
64 min: Wharton is having a great game. This time it’s Rogers he robs, sending Sarr away down the right. Sarr’s cutback is hacked clear. Villa can’t handle Palace’s press at all.
62 min: … which is eventually worked back to Tielemans, who tries to make amends with a long-distance belt. The man who won the cup for Leicester City back in 2021 sends his shot harmlessly over the bar.
61 min: Villa respond with a double change, hooking McGinn and Digne for Bailey and Maatsen. Bailey’s first significant act is to drive down the right and win a corner …
59 min: Two fine, fine, fine goals from a Palace point of view. What hits from Eze and Sarr! Two poor, poor, poor errors from Villa’s perspective, though. Torres and Tielemans with plenty to think about.
Wharton closes down a dozing Tielemans 35 yards out. The ball pings to Sarr, who takes a couple of touches down the middle, and a little to the right, before launching a low drive into the bottom left! Martinez had no chance! Simple as that! Palace back in Party Mode again!
Ismaila Sarr strikes to give Palace a two-goal lead! Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Another cracking goal to edge Palace closer to the final! Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
57 min: McGinn has the opportunity to release Digne into space down the left, but overhits the pass, which flies out for a goal kick. Villa have clearly upped the tempo. But …
55 min: The Palace supporters were giving it plenty for a moment or two there. But Villa’s fans are the loudest now. How quickly the mood can change.
54 min: Mateta’s penalty was struck well, if off target. Which is admittedly a big caveat. Martinez’s antics no doubt a factor in addling the striker’s brain.
53 min: After a quick VAR check, Mateta plops the ball on the spot. Martinez prances about to put him off … and it works! Mateta’s penalty clips the outside of the right-hand post and out for a goal kick! Martinez had guessed correctly, as well, and may have saved it had it been on target.
Oh Jean-Philippe!! Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Martinez celebrates like he saved the penalty. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
51 min: Mitchell dribbles in from the left. His shot-cum-cross is half cleared. Wharton sends it straight back down the inside-left channel to Eze, who enters the box and is clipped from behind by Kamara. The referee points instantly to the spot. A huge chance for Palace to double their lead!
Kamara blunders into Eze to concede a penalty! Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters
49 min: Cash curls in from the right. McGinn meets the ball sweetly on the penalty spot with a powerful sidefoot. Straight at Henderson, though, the keeper tipping over. And from the resulting corner, swung in from the right, Digne shoots from the left-hand edge of the D, his low rasping shot heading into the bottom right. Henderson fingertips around the post, his second big save in a minute. Nothing comes of the second corner, but this is better from Villa.
47 min: Mateta heads into space down the left for Eze to chase. Torres is forced to come across and concede a throw. From that, Eze cuts in from the touchline and aims a curler towards the top right. Full marks for ambition if nothing else. Miles high and wide. Hey, he’s still in credit this afternoon for that fine first-half strike.
Aston Villa get the second half started. No changes. Yet.
Half-time punditry. Eberechi Eze’s strike was magnificent, a first-time power curler towards the top-left corner. But according to Wayne Rooney on the BBC, Emi Martinez has “got to save it.” The shot was within reach, that’s for sure, but perhaps that’s slightly harsh, so well was it struck. Still, it went near, if not quite through, him, so opinions will vary. If it does go down as a mistake, it’s the latest in a grim run for the Villa keeper, who has been recently questioned for his role in goals against PSG, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. Additionally, Gary Lineker is sure the generous chalking-off of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s effort just before the goal was bogus. Rooney agrees, spluttering that if anything: “It’s a foul on Mateta!”
But never mind the BBC, because here comes our old friend Kári Tulinius: “After a first half hour mostly spent wondering who Crystal Palace’s most famous fan is (probably Eddie Izzard), the game really sprang into life. But during those thirty minutes I found my eye drawn to Wharton and Kamada. They harried Villa’s midfield, keeping them from finding a rhythm. If they can keep that up in the second half, I imagine Glasner will be a very happy fellow.”
It took a while to get going, but when it did … oooo-weee! Palace thoroughly deserve their half-time lead; they’ve been magnificent to watch going forward and could easily be one or two additional goals to the good. And yet Villa have had their chances up the other end as well. Great fun. What a cup semi!
45 min +1: The first of two extra minutes goes by without drama. The Villa defence is all over the shop.
45 min: Palace really should be 2-0 up now. Sarr is sent skittering into space down the right by Wharton. He cuts back for Mitchell, who simply has to sidefoot home, unmarked as he is on the penalty spot. But he takes a fresh-air swipe. It had to be a goal. The ball’s knocked out for a corner, from which nothing comes.
44 min: Tielemans sends a long pass down the inside-left channel. The ball breaks to McGinn, who curls a dangerous cross towards Konsa at the far stick. Konsa tries to emulate Keith Houchen’s career-defining work at this end of the stadium in 1987, but can’t connect with his diving header.
42 min: Konsa looks super-skittish this afternoon. He’s nearly robbed by Eze, 40 yards from his goal. He recovers his poise just in time, but still. The Villa defender – who was skinned by Mateta for that run on 39 mins – is far from his best so far.
40 min: Henderson’s save leads to another corner, which is blootered away unceremoniously by Lacroix. In a parallel universe, it’s 2-0 to Palace. In the one further on from that, it’s 1-1. This is great fun now!
39 min: Palace should be doubling their lead. Mateta steams down the left and stands one up for Sarr, who can’t get a header on target from six yards. Villa then counter and nearly equalise through Watkins, who is causing plenty of trouble down the left. His shot-cum-cross is deflected out for a corner, which leads to Konsa heading towards the bottom right. Henderson gets down to claw out just in time!
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