LONDON (AP) — Crystal Palace beat 10-man Millwall 3-1 in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday after visiting goalkeeper Liam Roberts was sent off early for kicking forward Jean-Philippe Mateta in the face.
Roberts' wild attempt to make a clearance led to Mateta having to be carried off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital with a head injury, with Palace chairman Steve Parish describing it as "the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I think I’ve ever seen.”
Roberts was sent off in the eighth minute, and Mateta remained on the ground for several minutes receiving medical treatment before he was fitted with a neck brace and carried off the field toward an ambulance.
Palace took a 2-0 lead through an own goal by Japhet Tanganga and an easy tap-in from Daniel Munoz, but Millwall got back in the game when Wes Harding scored just before halftime. That came in the 14th minute of injury time after the lengthy stoppage to treat Mateta.
Striker Eddie Nketiah, who came on for Mateta, added the third with a looping header in the 81st to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
Penalties, VAR and red card
Bournemouth beat fellow Premier League side Wolves 5-4 on penalties in an eventful game that included a seven-minute VAR check and saw Matheus Cunha score a spectacular equalizer before getting sent off for headbutting an opponent.
The penalty shootout also had its share of drama, as Wolves had a chance to win it after goalkeeper Sam Johnstone saved Bournemouth's fourth spot kick from Dean Huijsen.
But Matt Doherty dragged his penalty wide, and Boubacar Traore also missed for Wolves as his effort hit the crossbar before bouncing off goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Luis Sinisterra converted the decisive spot kick for Bournemouth.
Cunha, Wolves' leading scorer, would certainly have been among his team's penalty takers but he was red carded in the last minute of extra time for a scuffle with Milos Kerkez that ended with the Wolves player headbutting his opponent.
That came after he equalized with a long-range strike that looped into the top of the net in the 60th minute to cancel out the first-half opener from Evanilson.
Bournemouth thought it had taken a 2-0 lead when Kerkez met a corner with a header that came off Huijsen. But after a lengthy VAR check, Huijsen was ruled offside.
Osmajic at center of Preston win
Preston also reached the quarterfinals with a 3-0 win over Burnley. It was a rematch of their meeting two weeks ago in the English second division, when Burnely's Hannibal Mejbri accused Preston's Milutin Osmajic of racially abusing him during the match.
Saturday's game began with Burnley's players refusing to shake hands with Osmajic, but the Montenegro international responded by scoring the second goal just before halftime and then cupped his hands to his ears toward the visiting fans.
Robbie Brady had opened the scoring by curling home a superb free kick in the 31st minute and Will Keane added the third in the 74th.
Manchester City hosted Championship team Plymouth Argyle later Saturday. ___
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The Associated Press
