Crystal Palace advanced the FA Cup quarter-finals after a 3-1 victory against Local Rivaux Millwall, but the victory was tainted after Jean-Philippe Mateta was stretched.
The incident came in six minutes. Mateta challenged a high ball just outside the area when the Millwall Liam Roberts goalkeeper came out of his box, catching the head of the palace attacker with his high boot.
After checking the pitch instructor, referee Michael Oliver sent Roberts, Mateta receiving almost 10 minutes of medical care in the field before being removed. He was taken directly to the hospital.
The president of Crystal Palace, Steve Parish, described it as “the most daring challenge on a football field that I have ever seen” by talking to the BBC at halftime.
The Eagles began to accumulate the chances with the additional player and pierced in the 33rd minute – but not of one of their own. Millwall defender, Japiet Tanganga, hosted the head of Will Hughes’ house, beating the goalkeeper for replacement Lukas Jensen.
Seven minutes later, Crystal Palace doubled their lead and Tanganga had another hand. Daniel Munoz returned home from the interior of the six-meter box, but the goal was initially excluded for offside.
Daniel Munoz de Crystal Palace celebrates the second goal of their match team
This was overthrown by Oliver, and Var confirmed that the goal would be held after the ball came out of Tanganga before Munoz returns home – which means that he was not out of hand.
But with the final kick of the first half, Millwall gave itself a life buoy. Matt Turner initially pushed a cross, but she landed in Wes Harding, who pulled home.
And the lions started the second half well and will have the impression that they should have equalized. But once Crystal Palace settled, it was clear that they would see the match and added the security of a third goal in the 81st minute.
Eddie Nketiah celebrates his goal against Millwall
It was a deserved objective for Eddie Nketiah, who replaced Mateta. Ebelechi’s free kick was hosted by Chris Richards, before the former arsenal striker completed a head at home to secure the place of Crystal Palace during the Sunday draw.
Parish: I have never seen a challenge like that
The president of Crystal Palace, Steve Parish of BBC Sport, at halftime of the injury of Jean-Philippe Mateta:
“He has a bad cut behind his ear and a head injury. He is in the hospital and we hope the best.
“There is a lot of emotion in football but we have to talk about this challenge. I have never seen a challenge like that … This is the most reckless challenge on a football field that I have ever seen.
Players on both sides consider Jean-Philippe Mateta de Crystal Palace receives treatment
“He needs to look at himself a long and difficult because he endangers a colleague with a challenge like that.
“And why the referee must go to the screen, I have no idea … If you hit him with any strength, who knows what type of damage could be done.”
Glasner: it’s a terrible fault
Crystal Palace Boss Oliver Glasner in BBC Sport on Jean-Philippe Mateta:
“He is aware and he is in the hospital. His ear looks terrible. It is a very serious injury and we hope the best for him.
“We cannot be really happy. Of course, it’s a big victory and in the quarter-finals, but when you lose a player with a fault like this, you have two different feelings in your stomach.
“I didn’t want to see him, but I have to talk about it. It’s terrible [the challenge]. I’m sure the goalkeeper did not want to injure JP in this situation because no player wants it.
“But if you go the ball like that with the intensity in your head, you cannot do it because it is so dangerous. I don’t want to blame it, but it’s a terrible false.”
On the response of his players and the game: “The players did well until the 55th minute in the first half. We checked the game and we were on the right track. Then, we unnecessarily offer the ball before half-time, then it’s 2-1, then they resumed their belief.
“The second half was not really the best match, but Eddie decided with an incredible header. Going to the quarterfin of the FA Cup is a great success and now the fingers crossed, we hope the best for JP.”
Neil does not agree with the parish: not the worst challenge that I have ever seen
Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts received a red card for a big challenge on Jean-Philippe Mateta de Crystal Palace
Millwall boss Alex Neil at BBC Sport when he asked him questions about Steve Parish’s half-time comments on the challenge of Liam Roberts:
“I don’t think there is an intention. Why would there have been? This is the start of the game, the ball is behind and it tries to get there.
“I would certainly not describe him as the worst challenge I have seen. We do not want the boy to be injured so naturally, we wish Mateta and hope he will soon be back on the field.
“For me, it was despite, he was sent, he is disappointed. We wish Mateta well and it is nothing more than for me.
“As it happened, I did not know if he had caught the boy or caught the ball because the ball seemed to go out from a strange angle.
“Unfortunately, [the screens] Besides the canoe did not work, so we couldn’t really look at the incident.
“I haven’t seen him since but he deceived him and was sent, which, at this stage of the game, makes the game doubly difficult for us. It was disappointing. He called and was not quite right.”
On the goals conceded: “The nature of the goals disappoints me the most. One is one objective, another is when we launch the ball of our own player and he lands the boy in the box and he scores. Then we lose two headers in a row. When you are at 10 men, you want to make them work for their goals.
“We gave ourselves a little life buoy by obtaining the goal before half-time. The plan was then to stay in the match as long as possible and, hopefully, to get another goal. I was about to go up two and they are on the point of doing a submarine, which summed up the day for us really.”
