‘100 per cent’ – Oliver Glasner pinpoints reason behind Crystal Palace’s FA Cup semi-final win over Aston Villa

Oliver Glasner hailed Crystal Palace’s recruitment after their 3-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Aston Villa on Saturday at Wembley.

Villa had the first clear-cut chance of the game in the 23rd minute when Lucas Digne crossed to the back post and Morgan Rodgers sliced a volley wide of Dean Henderson’s goal.

Jean-Philippe Mateta netted for the Eagles in the 28th minute when he brushed past Ezri Konsa and slotted beyond Emiliano Martinez, but referee Anthony Taylor pulled the game back for a foul in the build-up.

But the Eagles would go ahead a minute later when Ismaila Sarr closed down a clearance from Pau Torres. The Senegalese international picked up the ball and cut past Digne on the left-hand side before pulling it back to Eze on the edge of the box.

Greenwich-born Eze whipped the ball first time over Martinez to put Palace in front in the semi-final.

Palace were indebted to Henderson in the 39th minute for keeping their lead intact when he got down low from a corner to stop Konsa’s header on the line.

Tyrick Mitchell had a chance to extend Palace’s lead before half-time when Sarr pulled the ball along the face of goal on a counter-attacking move, but the left-back got his wires crossed and missed the ball when setting his sights on goal.

Henderson was called upon again in the 48th minute when John McGinn flashed a shot at goal from a Matty Cash cross.

The England stopper had to be alert again when he got down low to stop Digne’s volley from the edge of the box, which was arrowing into the bottom corner.

Palace were awarded a penalty in the 51st minute when Boubacar Kamara barged into Eze inside the area, with the referee pointing to the spot and handing Glasner’s side the perfect opportunity to extend their lead.

Jean-Philippe Mateta took responsibility from 12 yards out. However, the Frenchman sent his effort just wide of the post.

But Palace eventually added a second in the 57th minute when Adam Wharton intercepted a pass towards Youri Tielemans and the ball bounced to Mateta. 

He played through Sarr, who strode forward before taking aim from distance to fire a shot beyond Martinez to send the Palace fans into raptures behind the goal.

Villa should have halved the deficit in the 65th minute, but Leon Bailey’s drive back towards goal hit Pau Torres and deflected over the crossbar.

Glasner’s side should have wrapped up the tie in the 80th minute when Daichi Kamada dinked a cross into the box, but Sarr, who had squeezed between two Villa defenders, headed his effort just wide.

Palace booked their place in the final – their third in their history – in the 94th minute when Eddie Nketiah won possession inside Villa’s half off Tielemans and slipped through Sarr to score his second and their third.

Glasner said: “One hundred per cent credit to the recruitment, not to just to the players’ profiles but also the character of the players. 

“It’s a great group to manage, to coach. It is great recruitment. 

“The new players who came in this year, like Maxence Lacroix, like Daichi Kamada, showed an outstanding performance today and also at the Emirates.

“Nketiah. He won the ball for the third and passed to Sarr at the right moment. It’s all about recruitment and talent and character. 

“Then we can build a group. Now we’ve got the first small reward, that we can come back in three weeks and play here in this really fantastic stadium again.

“I was very relaxed today, very calm. I mentioned in the pre-match press conference that I have to take a few tough decisions. I had to, in not starting Will [Hughes] and also Jefferson Lerma, who played so well for us. 

“They also deserved to start and I told them today that I decided after the excellent performance at Arsenal to start with Adam and Daichi in midfield. 

“They could be disappointed or upset, but their reaction was: ‘OK, gaffer. If the team needs me, I’ll be ready. From that moment, I was really calm. I knew with such a great group of players, anything was possible. They showed it today.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD