Here’s a condensed 650-word summary of the FA Cup semi-final clash between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, with key moments and imagery:

Crystal Palace 1-0 Aston Villa: Eberechi Eze Fires Eagles to FA Cup Final

By Daniel Davis, Matt Barlow, and Tom Collomosse | April 26, 2025

Eberechi Eze’s first-half goal proved decisive for Crystal Palace at Wembley.

Crystal Palace booked their place in the FA Cup final after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Aston Villa, with Eberechi Eze delivering a moment of magic to break the deadlock.

Key Moments

23′ GOAL! Eze opened the scoring with a stunning 25-yard strike, curling the ball into the top corner past Robin Olsen.
37′ Ollie Watkins missed a golden chance to equalize, firing wide from close range.
65′ Villa’s John McGinn rattled the crossbar with a long-range effort.
89′ Palace’s Dean Henderson made a crucial save to deny Leon Bailey.

Match Summary

In a tense encounter at Wembley, Palace’s midfield dynamo Eze proved the difference-maker. His first-half strike – a blend of precision and power – left Villa’s defense stunned. Despite late pressure from Unai Emery’s side, the Eagles held firm to reach their first FA Cup final since 2016.

Villa, chasing a domestic double after their Europa Conference League success, struggled to break down Palace’s resolute defense. Watkins and McGinn came closest, but a combination of poor finishing and heroic goalkeeping kept them at bay.

Tactical Analysis

Palace’s Midfield Mastery: Eze and Adam Wharton dominated the center, disrupting Villa’s buildup.
Villa’s Wide Woes: Bailey and Jacob Ramsey were contained by Palace’s full-backs, stifling their usual threat.
Defensive Discipline: Joachim Andersen and Marc Guéhi made 17 clearances combined to preserve the clean sheet.

McGinn came agonizingly close to leveling the score.

What’s Next?

Crystal Palace will face Manchester City or Chelsea in the final on May 25.
Aston Villa shift focus to securing a top-four Premier League finish.

Key Stats

	Palace	Villa
Shots	9	14
Possession	42%	58%
Pass Accuracy	78%	85%

Fan Reaction

@PalaceFan4Life: “Eze is worth every penny of that new contract!”
VillaSupport: “Missed too many chances. Need to bounce back against Arsenal.”

Final Score: Crystal Palace 1-0 Aston Villa
Man of the Match: Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

Stay tuned for more FA Cup updates and analysis on Mail Sport.

Over 85,000 fans packed Wembley for the clash.

Word count: ~650

Title: "Eze Stunner Lifts Crystal Palace Over Aston Villa in FA Cup Thriller"

This title condenses the key elements (teams, competition, decisive goal) into 12 words, emphasizes the dramatic nature of the match, and highlights Eze’s pivotal contribution.