Our Michael Yiakoumi with winning
Watford manager Javi Gracia
Watford reached their second FA Cup semi-final in four seasons with substitute Andre Gray scoring three minutes after coming off the bench to seal a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Etienne Capoue side-footed Watford ahead in the 27th minute at a blustery Vicarage Road as the hosts controlled the first half but Palace responded strongly after the break.
Michy Batshuayi punished a defensive lapse to equalise for Roy Hodgson’s side just past the hour mark and it was Palace who looked to have the upper hand moving into the closing stages.
But Watford secured a last-four date at Wembley when Gray, who had just replaced Will Hughes, volleyed a 79th-minute winner to send their fans home dreaming of a second FA Cup final appearance after they lost the 1984 showpiece.
Gomes dreams of Wembley after Vicarage Road ‘farewell’
They had to survive a late scare though when Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka drilled a low shot wide after a defensive blunder.
Tearful Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes was given an emotional ovation at the end in what could be the Brazilian’s final appearance at Vicarage Road.
He has only played in the FA Cup run this season with Ben Foster first choice in the league and the 38-year-old said afterwards he is ‘99.9 percent’ certain to retire to become a pastor at the end of the season when his contract expires.
Watford manager Javi Gracia, in his first full season at the club, said his side had “suffered” in the second half but was confident Gray could make the difference.
“It was a difficult moment when Palace equalised but I was confident we would be able to win the game,” he said. “We are ambitious. We want to achieve the final, that is our target.”
Gomes was the first keeper called into action when he saved low down from Luka Milivojevic’s shot but it was his opposite number Vincente Guaita who was busier.
He saved well from Gerard Deulofeu but was at fault soon after when Jose Holebas’s corner left him in no man’s land and Craig Cathcart prodded the ball back for Capoue to sidefoot high into an unguarded net.
Guaita made amends, keeping out a fierce drive by impressive Barcelona academy product Deulofeu.
Relegation-threatened Palace, without injured Wilfried Zaha, improved after the break and Watford began to look jittery.
In the 62nd minute Adrian Mariappa dithered on the ball and was dispossessed by Batshuayi who advanced before opening up his body and shooting past Gomes.
Roared on by their vocal fans, Palace looked likely to inflict more FA Cup heartbreak on Watford, who they beat in the semi-final three years ago, but they were stopped in their tracks as Hodgson suffered a third quarter-final defeat.
In a rare Watford attack Roberto Pereyra’s superb pass picked out the run of Gray and he got just enough on his stretching volley to guide the ball past Guaita, sealing a hat-trick of 2-1 wins over Palace this season.
“We weathered a storm in the first half and when we equalised I felt good about our chances,” Hodgson said.
“We were looking dangerous and the Watford crowd had gone very quiet.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1998 by beating last year’s runners-up Manchester United 2-1 with a clinical second-half display in an intense atmosphere at their Molineux stadium on Saturday.
Mexican forward Raul Jimenez sent the home fans into a frenzy with a scrappy finish to break the deadlock in the 70th minute, snatching at the ball on the turn and beating keeper Sergio Romero who had made two outstanding saves.
Diogo Jota put the home side further ahead with a brilliant solo strike in the 76th, bursting through on the break and fighting off Luke Shaw before blasting the ball past Romero.
United had a red card for defender Victor Lindelof overturned by VAR and Marcus Rashford pulled a goal back in added time but there was no time left to mount a comeback and they fell to a second defeat in a row for the first time since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as manager in December.
Wolves loss is ‘step backwards’ for United, says Solskjaer
Despite the late scare, it was a fully deserved victory for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side who edged the first half and utterly dominated the second.
With their fans singing “We’re on our way back”, Wolves savoured another huge Cup victory after knocking out Liverpool in the third round and will now have a Wembley semi-final to add to their many highlights in a hugely impressive first season back in the Premier League.
“It means a lot, the FA Cup is the oldest competition there is, we played well and we achieved this with the amazing support of our fans, pushing us, believing in us, the noise was fantastic and we did it together,” Nuno told a news conference.
“It is a deserved result, we were outstanding,” Wolves captain Conor Coady added.
“From start to finish we nullified them they are an unbelievable club with talented players, we said before in the changing rooms we have the chance to make history and we now have the chance to go through again.”
SOLSKJAER: “OUR POOREST PERFORMANCE”
United had lost their last game at Arsenal and the absence of Romelu Lukaku through injury meant they lacked presence up front against the intense home side, who sought to cancel out their opponents in midfield while picking them off on the break.
“That was the poorest performance we have had since I’ve been here,” Solskjaer said.
“We started too slowly and played into their hands. Our possession wasn’t bright enough and quick enough, so it’s disappointing.
“This was a big step backwards, mainly because of the quality of the possession and the passing.”
Towards the end of an even first half Wolves caught United out with a threaded pass from Ruben Neves into Jota, who found himself clean through as he entered the box but Argentine keeper Romero made himself big and produced an impressive save.
Wolves then took the game to United after the interval and Romero pulled off a stunning reflex save to tip over a piercing header from Jimenez.
These near misses only made Wolves more determined, and once they found the breakthrough through Jimenez they never looked like letting their lead slip.
Premier League leaders Manchester City recovered from two goals down to beat Championship side Swansea City 3-2 at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday and progress to the FA Cup semi-finals.
Having secured a last-eight spot in the Champions League to go with their League Cup title, City made a strong start as they looked to continue their quest to become the first side to win all four major trophies in an English season.
However, they were opened up after 20 minutes by Connor Roberts who drew a foul from Fabian Delph in the penalty area and Matt Grimes converted from the spot to give Swansea the lead.
Nine minutes later it was two as former Manchester City youth player Bersant Celina finished off a flowing Swansea move to stun his former employers.
Guardiola baffled by lack of VAR in Man City’s FA Cup win
The Premier League side struggled to break Swansea down after the break, but Bernardo Silva’s goal in the 68th minute got the visitors back in the match.
From then on in it was all Manchester City and an own goal off the back of Swansea goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt after substitute Sergio Aguero’s 77th-minute penalty had hit the post levelled the tie.
Aguero missed a glorious chance to score but the Argentine striker had the final say when he headed the winner two minutes from time from what looked an offside position.
“We spoke at halftime that we need one goal and after we score one goal the rest will be easier,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “But the spirit and persistence helped us to win the game.”
Guardiola named a strong side for the trip to Wales, but left leading goalscorers Raheem Sterling and Aguero on the bench.
City still had plenty of firepower on the pitch but Swansea stood firm in the early stages and after Roberts was upended in the box Grimes stroked home his penalty with aplomb.
Swansea then carved City open with a slick passing move and it was superbly finished off by Celina.
“We try to play that way,” Swansea manager Graham Potter said of the second goal.
“I said before the game if you do be yourself you might just get a miracle.”
After Bernardo Silva’s superb finish with the outside of the boot got his side a foothold in the match, Aguero was presented with the perfect chance to draw City level after Sterling had been felled in the penalty area.
City knew their luck was in after Aguero’s spot-kick went in off the back of Nordfeldt but the keeper then brilliantly denied Aguero from close range.
Aguero had the last laugh, however, when he headed his 28th goal of the season in all competitions, although he appeared to be offside and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system was not being used in the match to the dismay of the Swansea fans.
“All around Europe there is VAR,” Guardiola said. “Here there is not. I don’t like to win in that way. I am sorry.”
Brighton and Hove Albion reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, beating Championship side Millwall 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out on Sunday, after clawing their way back into the game to draw 2-2 from two goals down with only two minutes remaining.
Millwall defender Jake Cooper smashed his side’s final penalty over the bar at the sudden death stage of the shoot-out, after Brighton striker Glenn Murray had hit the crossbar and Millwall’s Mahlon Romeo had seen a spot-kick saved by Mat Ryan.
It is the first time since 1983 that Brighton have reached the FA Cup semi-finals, where they will meet Premier League leaders Manchester City, with Watford meeting Wolverhampton Wanderers in the other last-four game.
Chris Hughton’s side hauled themselves back into the game after Millwall, who are 20th in the Championship and fighting relegation to English soccer’s third tier, took a deserved 2-0 lead in a raucous atmosphere at The Den, where Millwall had knocked out Everton earlier this season.
“The first word that comes to mind is character,” the Brighton coach told a news conference.
“At 2-0 down you’re out of the competition but I felt we could get one back with the balance of play, to get two back in that last period shows character, then missing the first penalty and they score three shows real character and composure.”
Central defender Alex Pearce struck the opening goal in the 70th minute with a towering header from a corner and Neil Harris’s side doubled their lead with a sliding finish from Ireland international Aiden O’Brien in the 79th.
That looked to have sealed Millwall’s path to Wembley as fans chanted “Manchester City we’re coming for you” but substitute Jurgen Locadia gave Brighton a fighting chance with a powerful finish in the 88th.
GOALKEEPING HOWLER
Brighton levelled with the help of a goalkeeping howler from David Martin, who fumbled Solly March’s hopeful cross from a free kick into the net in time added on.
Millwall’s Shane Ferguson was sent off in the penultimate minute of a tense period of extra time, with both sides reluctant to take risks after a punishing 90 minutes.
Locadia had a goal ruled out for offside just before the end of extra time, though video replays showed it should have stood.
The penalties were taken in front of the Brighton fans but Millwall drew first blood when Murray hit the bar. Ryan then turned away Romeo’s penalty.
Dale Stephens and Lewis Dunk scored their spot-kicks but Cooper crumbled under the pressure, sending his shot into the stands to the delight of Brighton’s visiting supporters.
“What an outstanding performance for 94 minutes,” said dejected Millwall coach Harris.
“I feel for Dave Martin, he was excellent throughout the game but he made a slight error of judgement that has cost us. I’m most proud of the way my team played, our running ability, we were better than Brighton and that’s what I’m most proud of.”