Manchester City beats Chelsea to win FA Cup glory

Antoine Semenyo settled a tense and often attritional FA Cup final at Wembley, as Manchester City claimed their eighth FA Cup crown with a 1-0 victory over Chelsea, completing a domestic cup double after their EFL Cup triumph over Arsenal earlier in the season.

Chelsea arrived at Wembley looking to salvage something from a deeply disappointing and turbulent campaign, one that had seen them shed two managers and fail to win a single Premier League game since March. City, meanwhile, were making history simply by turning up the first team ever to contest four consecutive FA Cup finals. The occasion had all the ingredients for a classic. What followed was a tense and measured affair that burst into life only when it truly mattered.

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With Chelsea content to sit back and absorb pressure, seeking to catch City on the break through the pace of João Pedro, the first half proved to be desperately short on chances and excitement. City thought they had the breakthrough in the 26th minute when Semenyo found Matheus Nunes down the right and Haaland tapped in at the back post, only to be denied by an offside flag. The Norwegian’s wait for a Wembley goal grew longer still before half-time when Robert Sánchez made a smart near-post stop to deny him after Marc Guéhi’s ball in behind had sent him clear. Chelsea appealed loudly for a penalty when João Pedro went over under Abdukodir Khusanov’s challenge, but referee Darren England waved away their protests, deeming it a fair shoulder-to-shoulder contest.

Pep Guardiola turned to Rayan Cherki at the interval, the Frenchman having tormented Chelsea in a 3-0 Premier League win just weeks earlier, and the change had an immediate effect. Cherki almost made an instant impact when his pass found Nico O’Reilly, whose cross reached Semenyo at the back post only for the Ghanaian to send his header over the bar. At the other end, a Rodri goalline clearance was required to keep out Moisés Caicedo’s header as Chelsea pushed for the opening goal.

Then came the moment that will be replayed for years. Haaland picked up a loose ball and exchanged passes with Bernardo Silva before crossing first time for Semenyo at the near post, who produced one of the great FA Cup final goals flicking the ball past a diving Sánchez with audacious instinct, despite being tightly marked by Reece James. Semenyo became the first Ghanaian player ever to score in an FA Cup final, and the first African to do so since Pierre Emerick Aubameyang for Arsenal also against Chelsea in 2020.

Chelsea attempted to respond but never truly threatened. Enzo Fernández hooked a volley narrowly over from a long throw, and Chelsea’s wave of late pressure ultimately produced nothing of substance. Cherki should have doubled the lead in the 85th minute but fired straight at Sánchez, and former City man Liam Delap headed over in stoppage time as Chelsea’s misery was complete. It was a final of only 16 shots the fewest on record in an FA Cup final but City will not care one bit.

For Guardiola, now in his tenth season at the club, the victory represented his 20th major trophy as City manager — a staggering achievement by any measure. For Chelsea, it was a fourth FA Cup final defeat in six years, and a bitter end to a season defined by instability and underachievement. City, by contrast, march on and with the Premier League title race with Arsenal still very much alive, Guardiola’s men have plenty more to play for before this extraordinary season is done