Nico O’Reilly was the star of the show as his brace helped Manchester City to a 2-0 win over Arsenal in the 2026 EFL Cup final on Sunday.
The youngster fired home twice in the second half, the first after a mistake by Arsenal’s goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, before adding a brilliant header, to seal victory for the Cityzens who claimed the first domestic trophy of the season.
It also marked the 19th trophy of Pep Guardiola’s 10-year reign at the club and ended the Gunners’ quadruple charge, while their wait for a major trophy continues.
Arsenal started their first cup final since 2020 with Kepa preferred in goal ahead of first-choice goalkeeper David Raya, while Manchester City also had James Trafford return.
Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber both missed the clash with injuries for the Gunners, while City were without Ruben Dias, who pulled out with a late injury and Marc Guehi, who was ineligible.
The North London side started well and only a remarkable triple save from Trafford denied them from breaking the deadlock in the first half.
However, Guardiola’s men took advantage in the second half as they scored twice in four minutes to seal a fifth EFL Cup triumph since the arrival of the Spaniard.
Kepa first flapped at a cross from Rayan Cherki, allowing O’Reilly to head home into an empty net in the 60th minute.
O’Reilly was once again at the heart of things as he headed home a second after good work from Matheus Nunes on the right side.
Arsenal struck the post twice in the closing stages, but City held on to win their ninth League Cup.
The Gunners are still in pole position to win the Premier League, with a nine-point gap over City, with both sides meeting again at the Etihad next month in a title-deciding affair.
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.
