Crystal Palace booked their place in the FA Cup final for the first time in nine years with a commanding 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium, courtesy of goals from Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr.

This marks only the third time Palace have reached the final in their 120-year history, having previously made it in 1990 and 2016, both times losing to Manchester United.

In a pulsating semi-final, two moments of brilliance swung the game Palace’s way. Eze opened the scoring with a superb curling strike from just outside the box after 30 minutes. Sarr then doubled the advantage just before the hour mark, drilling home a low finish, moments after Jean-Philippe Mateta had missed a penalty for the Eagles.

Villa, desperate to claw their way back, were denied by a determined Palace defence and a string of excellent saves from goalkeeper Dean Henderson. Their frustrations were compounded in stoppage time, when Sarr raced clear to net his second and Palace’s third, sealing a famous afternoon for the South Londoners.

(With IANS inputs)