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Sport Nation
Champions Day Bonus Bets giveawayUgly karate kick incident leaves Crystal Palace star unconscious
Sport Nation • March 3rd, 2025 11:00 am
Photo: AP
Crystal Palace have beaten Millwall 3-1 in an FA Cup tie overshadowed by an ugly incident involving Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts, who was was sent off in the eighth minute 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.
Mateta appeared unconscious and received treatment for more than eight minutes before being taken to a waiting ambulance.
"We are very pleased to confirm that JP Mateta has this evening been discharged from St George's Hospital where he received specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear," Palace said in a statement.
Palace chairman Steve Parish was interviewed by the BBC and was clearly seething about the tackle.
“There’s a lot of emotion in football but we need to talk about that challenge. I’ve never seen a challenge like it... that’s the most reckless challenge on a football pitch I’ve ever seen.
“He’s a human being, let’s forget about a football player. I mean, that’s not just a normal challenge, you know. I mean, if you’re kicking somebody in the head with full force, God knows what damage has been done to him.
Palace took a 2-0 lead through an own goal by Japhet Tanganga and an easy tap-in from Daniel Munoz, but bitter London rivals Millwall got back in the game when Wes Harding scored in the 14th minute added 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.
