Eberechi Eze scored the only goal of the game as Crystal Palace secured a 1-0 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
The England international continued his fine form as he scored for a fifth consecutive game to end the Eagles long wait for a silverware.
Story of the match
Manchester City dominated the early exchanges of the game, although they were denied by Dean Henderson in Palace’s goal.
In the 16th minute, Eze struck to give the Eagles the lead with their first attack of the game, after brilliant work in the buildup by Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Moments later, Henderson appeared to touch the ball outside the box, before his blushes was spared by the Video Assistant Referee who deemed the incident to be inside the penalty area.
City had an opportunity to get back on level terms when they were awarded a penalty later in the half, after Tyrick Mitchell brought down Bernando Silva.
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Henderson, whose earlier touch had been a huge talking point, saved from Omar Marmoush who had surprisingly stepped up instead of Erling Haaland.
Crystal Palace were denied a second goal when Daniel Munoz strike was ruled out for offside, although the Cityzens were unable to find a way past Dean Henderson in the opposing goal.
The Eagles held on for the shock victory to secure a first trophy in the club’s history, while Pep Guardiola failed to win a trophy for the first time in eight years at the former league champions.
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What next for both teams?
Crystal Palace have now qualified for next season’s Europa League by winning the FA Cup, and will host Wolves on Tuesday before facing Premier League champions Liverpool at Anfield next Sunday.
Manchester City on the other hand will hope to secure a UCL spot at the end of the season, with two fixtures against Bournemouth and Fulham still to come.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
