Ismaila Sarr scores second-half brace as Crystal Palace book FA Cup final spot | OneFootball

Ismaila Sarr scored two second-half goals as Crystal Palace booked their place in the FA Cup final for a third time following a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley.

Eberechi Eze opened the scoring with a lovely finish in the 31st minute – assisted by Sarr – but a missed penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta after the restart added extra drama in the second half.

Ollie Watkins started for Villa, who were missing the injured Marcus Rashford, and Unai Emery’s men were not without their chances to get on the scoresheet.

But it was Sarr that ensured the Eagles would be one win away from lifting the FA Cup for the first time when he completed his brace in the fourth minute of stoppage-time.

The sense of occasion was potent from the outset, but it took longer for the action to echo the atmosphere and the Premier League rivals were still feeling each other out after the first 10 minutes had passed.

Boubacar Kamara then sent an effort over the crossbar from distance, which remained the only real attack on goal until Sarr skied an effort of his own at the midway point in the half.

The unmarked Morgan Rogers looked to level proceedings after a cross bounced favourably his way from a throw-in, but he whistled his half-volley just wide of Dean Henderson’s left post.

Mateta had the ball in the back of the net just before the half-hour mark, but it was chalked off after a VAR check confirmed the Frenchman had fouled Ezri Konsa in the build-up.

There could be no such doubt about Eze’s opener, however, after Sarr had got in the way of Pau Torres’ pass, then collected the resulting ricochet to the right of Villa’s 18-yard box.

He then found the approaching Eze, who curled the ball beyond the reach of the leaping Emiliano Martinez.

Torres looked for an instant reply when he nodded just over the crossbar as Villa seemingly sparked to life by the opener and Konsa came closer, forcing Henderson into a low save with a header of his own from a corner.

Villa piled on more pressure after the restart when Henderson was called into another big save to deny John McGinn’s sharp volley, then Lucas Digne fired through a crowd, narrowly wide of Henderson’s right post.

Palace were awarded a 53rd-minute penalty after Eze was tugged down by Kamara and Mateta stepped up to the spot after a VAR check, but the Frenchman’s attempt clipped the post.

Just as Villa had begun to gain momentum, Adam Wharton intercepted a pass and Sarr latched on after a quick touch from Mateta, taking a few paces forward before firing into the bottom-left corner.

Henderson was called upon again to punch away a cross then denied substitute Leon Bailey, moments after Eagles striker Mateta slid in to deny Ross Barkley – who had also come on – a chance.

Sarr probably should have cushioned the Eagles’ lead earlier when he nodded Eze’s cross off-target, while Matty Cash’s attempt to claw a late goal back for Villa sailed wide.

Villa had seven minutes of stoppage-time to turn things around, but Palace won the ball back and Sarr decided he was not finished, outpacing Konsa before slotting home in front of an enraptured sea of Eagles supporters.