London, March 29 – Crystal Palace secured a commanding victory over Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals, with Eberechi Eze delivering a standout performance at Craven Cottage. Fresh off scoring his first international goal for England against Latvia on Monday, Eze opened the scoring in the 34th minute with a stunning long-range strike. Moments later, he turned provider, setting up Ismaila Sarr for Palace’s second goal with a precise left-footed cross. Eddie Nketiah added a third in the second half, sealing an emphatic win for Oliver Glasner’s side. The Eagles, currently one of England’s in-form teams, have now won six consecutive away matches, including a 2-0 victory at Fulham last month. With their recent resurgence lifting them to 12th place in the Premier League, Palace will now set their sights on claiming their first-ever FA Cup title. Eze’s Brilliance Lifts Palace Palace welcomed back French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who returned to action after sustaining an ear injury that required 25 stitches during the team’s fifth-round win over Millwall. However, it was Eze who stole the show with two game-defining moments. The 26-year-old midfielder showcased his attacking prowess by cutting inside onto his right foot and curling a shot off the far post to break the deadlock. Just minutes later, he dribbled past Sander Berge before delivering an inch-perfect cross for Sarr to head home at the near post. “It’s unbelievable—the individual quality,” Palace manager Oliver Glasner said of Eze’s performance. “The first goal was crucial because it gave us our belief back. We were struggling early on, and we needed something positive to change the game.” Fulham’s Wembley Hopes Dashed Despite being four places and six points ahead of Palace in the Premier League, Fulham’s FA Cup aspirations came to an end in the 75th minute when substitute Eddie Nketiah, replacing Mateta, calmly slotted home past former Arsenal teammate Bernd Leno. Marco Silva’s side will now shift focus to their push for a top-five finish in the Premier League, which could secure them Champions League qualification for the first time in their history. FA Cup Quarter-Final Action Continues Elsewhere, Brighton will host Nottingham Forest in Saturday’s quarter-final clash. Forest head into the tie with confidence after a stunning 7-0 victory over Brighton last month, though the Seagulls have been in fine form, winning six and drawing one of their last seven matches—including a 2-2 draw against Manchester City. Defending champions City remain favorites for the tournament but face a challenging away fixture against Bournemouth on Sunday. With their season falling below expectations, the FA Cup represents their last chance at securing silverware this year. Meanwhile, Aston Villa will visit second-tier Preston in Sunday’s early kickoff, hoping to stay on course for their first major trophy since 1996.
Eze Inspires Crystal Palace to FA Cup Victory Over Fulham
