London, England – Fulham and Brighton missed crucial opportunities to reach Wembley in the FA Cup as both teams faltered in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest sealed their spots in the semi-finals, continuing their impressive runs in the tournament.
Eberechi Eze starred for Palace, scoring and assisting in their 3-0 victory over Fulham. The young talent marked his first England goal earlier in the week, showcasing why he is crucial to Palace’s ambitions. Eze’s unstoppable strike off the far post opened the scoring, while his assist for Ismaila Sarr solidified their control of the match.
“Eze’s performance was pure class,” said Palace manager Oliver Glasner after the match. “His skill and composure were vital in our win.”
Fulham entered Craven Cottage with high hopes, their fans chanting “We’re going to Wembley.” Yet, they struggled to create clear chances throughout the match. Rodrigo Muniz and Andreas Pereira came close, but a lack of clinical finishing undermined their efforts.
“We had belief, but we didn’t show enough quality in the final third,” said Fulham manager Marco Silva post-match. “We need to reset and refocus on our league campaign.”
On the other side, Nottingham Forest endured a tense penalty shootout to advance past Brighton. The 0-0 draw extended into extra time, with Forest’s solid defensive pairing of Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic making history for the club.
“They are making a name for themselves,” remarked Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo. “Their partnership is the backbone of our success this season.”
Brighton, despite their previous impressive run that included wins against Chelsea and Newcastle, showed signs of a psychological struggle coming off a heavy 7-0 defeat earlier in the league. Coach Fabian Hurzeler lamented their inability to show confidence as they registered a mere 0.9 expected goals during the match.
“This wasn’t the Brighton team we’ve seen,” said Hurzeler. “We need to learn from this experience.”
As both clubs head back to league action, the focus shifts toward their campaign. Fulham aims to consolidate their standing while Nottingham Forest eyes continued success in both the league and the cup.
