Palace progress after South London derby
Crystal Palace 3 - 1 Millwall
Crystal Palace have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup after a comfortable win over 10-man Millwall.
The game's turning point came in the eighth minute when Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts was sent off. Roberts came charging out of his goal and kicked Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in the head. After a short VAR intervention, he was off and Millwall had a huge job on their hands.
Palace then dominated possession, and they eventually made the most of their numerical advantage and took the lead in the 33rd minute when Japhet Tanganga headed a curling Will Hughes cross into his own net.
The home side then doubled their lead when Daniel Munoz poked the ball into the net from close range when it fell into his path after bouncing off Tanganga.
Millwall looked to be out of the game but Wes Harding gave them a lifeline when he scored from inside the area just before the break.
Eddie Nketiah ensured the Eagles would be in the draw for the last eight when he headed in off the post in the 82nd minute.
Palace are definitely up for the cup
Oliver Glasner had fielded a strong team in both previous rounds of the FA Cup against Stockport County and Doncaster Rovers, and this match was no exception.
He picked his first-choice front three but lost French striker Mateta after eight minutes after the awful tackle from Roberts. Glasner will be hoping the injury is not too serious.
Matt Turner kept his role as the cup goalkeeper whilst Ben Chilwell was handed his first start since joining from Chelsea on loan. The 2021 Champions League winner showed what he might be able to provide for the remainder of the season.
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Former Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah came on as a substitute for the injured Mateta and demonstrated his energy and agility. He scored a goal in the second half and had another goal in the first half, but it was ruled out for handball.
The second half of the match was somewhat uneventful at times as Crystal Palace attempted to maintain their lead, while Millwall, despite being a player down, pushed forward sporadically.
This victory is another sign in this interesting resurgence for Palace following a slow start to the season. They have now lost only twice in their last 13 matches in all competitions. Is a trip to Wembley in their future?
How's this for a stat
Eddie Nketiah has scored in back-to-back matches for Crystal Palace for the first time. His last consecutive goals occurred while playing for Arsenal, with a streak of three games between November and December 2022.
