No giant killings
EPL clubs Palace and Wolves cruise into quarter-finals
LONDON: Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton ensured they avoided becoming the latest English Premier League clubs to be on the wrong end of a giant killing in the English FA Cup as they each beat lower league opposition to book their places in the quarter-finals.
Palace won 2-0 away to third-tier Doncaster Rovers, the lowest league club still in the competition, while Wolves beat English Championship side Bristol City 1-0.
The day’s other fifth-round tie saw Swansea beat 10- man Brentford 4-1 in an all second-tier clash.
Sunday’s winners now join topflight Manchester City, Brighton and Watford in the last eight.
First-half goals from Jeffrey Schlupp and Max Meyer proved enough for Palace to win in Yorkshire.
Schlupp’s low strike gave the
Eagles, managed by former England boss Roy Hodgson, an early lead which Meyer double with a close-range header in stoppage time at the end of the opening period.
League Two Rovers enjoyed plenty of possession and got several shots away, but the difference in class between the two sides told in the end.
“We obviously knew if we got past this round we’d be in a good position to get to Wembley,” Schlupp told the BBC.
“It’s a special tournament and
hopefully with the luck of the draw, we might get a lesser team to have a better chance of getting through.”
Earlier, Ivan Cavaleiro’s goal was enough to secure an away win for Wolves at Ashton Gate that saw the four-time FA Cup winners end their 16-year wait for a quarter-final appearance.
Bristol City had their chances but midfielder Cavaleiro’s 28th-minute finish helped end their 15-match undefeated run and nine-match winning streak although it needed several fine saves from Wolves goalkeeper John Ruddy to secure victory for his side.
“Of course the goal was important and I’m very happy to score but the most important thing is the team move on to the next round,” Cavaleiro told BT Sport.
Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo added: “It’s hard to defend when they put so many people in
the box and you just hope for the best sometimes.”
Asked about the draw, the Portuguese coach added: “You have to go game by game. I would like to play at home.”
Brentford took the lead just before the hour mark through Ollie Watkins’ shot into the top corner.
But that was as good as it got for the Bees at the Swans’ Liberty Stadium ground.
Early in the second half, the hosts equalised through a Luke Daniels own-goal before Dan James ran the length of the field to make it 2-1.
The Bees then saw defender Ezri Konza receive a straight red card for a foul on James just after the hour mark.
Bersant Celina, whose free-kick led to the own-goal, made it 3-1 in the 66th minute before George Byers added a fourth goal late on.