Crystal Palace dominated Fulham with a resounding 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage, knocking the Lily Whites out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage.
Despite the presence of Nigerian duo Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, Fulham struggled to impose themselves, falling short against a ruthless Palace side.
Returning from injury, Jean-Philippe Mateta made his first start since his controversial tackle against Millwall in the previous round, adding firepower to Oliver Glasner’s team.
Palace wasted no time asserting control, with Eberechi Eze opening the scoring in the 34th minute with a well-placed strike.
Four minutes later, Eze turned provider, whipping in a perfect cross for Ismaïla Sarr, who capitalized on poor marking to double the visitors’ lead with a glancing header.
Bassey, usually a rock at the back for Fulham, was caught flat-footed, allowing Sarr to sneak in at the near post.
Fulham, desperate for a response, pushed forward after the break, but Crystal Palace remained defensively compact, frustrating Marco Silva’s side.
The Eagles sealed the win late in the game when Eddie Nketiah pounced on a defensive lapse to slot home at the near post past Bernd Leno, putting the result beyond doubt.
Bassey, who has been one of Fulham’s standout performers this season, will feel disappointed with his role in Palace’s second goal.
The Nigerian defender, making only his second FA Cup appearance for the club, failed to deal with Eze’s cross, allowing Sarr to head home with ease.
Iwobi, on the other hand, struggled to influence the game from midfield as Fulham failed to break through Palace’s well-organized defence.
With this defeat, Fulham’s FA Cup journey comes to an end, leaving them to focus on their remaining Premier League fixtures.
Bassey has now played 30 games this season, scoring against Nottingham Forest in the league and netting in the FA Cup against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
For Fulham, this loss is a tough one to take, but for Palace, a well-deserved spot in the FA Cup semifinals awaits.
