Mateta injury overshadows Palace win; Villa reach FA Cup quarters

Crystal Palace beat 10-man Millwall 3-1 in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday after visiting goalkeeper Liam Roberts was sent off early for kicking forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in the face.

Roberts’ wild attempt to make a clearance led to Mateta having to be carried off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital with a head injury, with Palace chairman Steve Parish describing it as “the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen.”

Roberts was sent off in the eighth minute, and Mateta remained on the ground for several minutes.

Palace took a 2-0 lead through an own goal by Japhet Tanganga and an easy tap-in from Daniel Munoz, but Millwall got back in the game when Wes Harding scored just before halftime. That came in the 14th minute of injury time after the lengthy stoppage to treat Mateta.

Striker Eddie Nketiah, who came on for Mateta, added the third with a looping header in the 81st.

Preston also reached the quarterfinals with a 3-0 win over Burnley. It was a rematch of their meeting two weeks ago in the English second division, when Burnely’s Hannibal Mejbri accused Preston’s Milutin Osmajic of racially abusing him during the match.

Saturday’s game began with Burnley’s players refusing to shake hands with Osmajic, but the Montenegro international responded by scoring the second goal just before halftime and then cupped his hands to his ears toward the visiting fans.

Robbie Brady had opened the scoring by curling home a superb free kick in the 31st minute and Will Keane added the third in the 74th.

Earlier, Marco Asensio fired Aston Villa into the FA Cup quarter-finals as the Spanish forward struck twice in a 2-0 win against Cardiff.

Unai Emery’s side were held at bay by the gritty Championship outfit until deep into the second half of the last-16 clash at Villa Park.

Asensio’s double ensured Villa advanced to the last eight for the first time since their run to the final in 2015.

The 29-year-old has four goals in six games for Villa since joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the January transfer window.

It was a welcome victory for Villa, who were thrashed 4-1 at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Tuesday. “We needed Asensio. We were creating chances but not clinical. The second half was still difficult to beat them. We scored one goal. After that it was easier to dominate,” Emery said.

“Playing against a Championship team is not easy, trying to respect them because you can lose even if you’re better than the opponent.”

Villa last won the FA Cup in 1957 and Emery added: “We are not considered favourites to win this trophy. We are contenders but not favourites.”

Despite the Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at Club Brugge looming on Tuesday, Emery opted to pick a strong team against the Bluebirds.

Teetering just six points above the Championship relegation zone, Cardiff boss Omar Riza took the opposite approach, as he selected a weakened team to prioritise their survival battle.

Cardiff last won at Villa Park in 1954 and the Welsh side never looked like ending that futile streak.

Marcus Rashford’s snap-shot and John McGinn’s curler from distance were both well saved by Cardiff keeper Ethan Horvath in the opening stages.

Ollie Watkins should have put Villa ahead but the England striker poked wide after racing into the penalty area.

Emery’s men monopolised possession to such an extent that Cardiff fans sarcastically chanted “we’ve got the ball” when they finally stemmed the tide of Villa attacks for a moment.

Villa were swiftly back in ascendency and Leon Bailey’s fierce blast was tipped over by Horvath.

Rashford wasted a golden opportunity to end Cardiff’s resistence, scuffing Bailey’s cross over from close-range.

Watkins was equally profligate, volleying straight at Horvath from Rashford’s header.

The over-worked Horvath saved McGinn’s strike from the edge of the area, then plunged to claw away Rashford’s 20-yard drive as Villa maintained their assault in the second half.

Cardiff almost snatched the lead completely against the run of play when Yousef Salech stretched to meet Perry Ng’s cross, but Emiliano Martinez was equal to the effort.

Moments later, Villa finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute.

Agencies