Nketiah sends Palace into cup quarter-finals with Fulham win
Crystal Palace beat Fulham 1-0 away in the Carabao Cup fourth round, with Eddie Nketiah scoring against the run of play. The win sends Palace into the quarter-finals for a third consecutive season and gives manager Pierre Sage some respite amid pressure over his position.
Fulham dominated early, but Palace scored when Óscar Mingueza crossed for Nketiah to volley home. Palace had made 10 changes after a demanding week, and goalkeeper Dean Henderson, returning from a month out, made a crucial injury-time save from Gonzalo García. Fulham have now gone 10 matches without beating Palace at home, a run dating back to January 2005; Sage’s next league match against Tottenham could carry more weight for his future.
In short
- Nketiah’s volley gave Palace a 1-0 win at Fulham.
- Palace reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for a third straight year.
- Henderson’s late save helped ease pressure on Sage.
Explained simply
The Carabao Cup is an English knockout competition involving clubs from the top four divisions. Teams progress through single matches, with the winners of the fourth round moving into the last eight.
Crystal Palace and Fulham are London clubs who also meet in the Premier League. Palace’s manager, Pierre Sage, is responsible for selecting the team and tactics, while Eddie Nketiah is a forward and Dean Henderson the goalkeeper. Coaches can face scrutiny when results are poor, so cup progress can ease pressure without deciding a manager’s longer-term future.
The clubs have a long-running local rivalry, and Fulham’s home record against Palace is part of that context. Reaching the quarter-finals keeps Palace in contention for a trophy and extends a recent run of cup progress.
Football Geopolitics Politics Space Sport Technology
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “Nketiah takes Crystal Palace past Fulham and earns Sage breathing space”.