Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City on Saturday to win the FA Cup for the first time in their history. Eberechi Eze scored the only goal of the match early on, securing a 1-0 victory at Wembley Stadium and handing Palace their first major trophy since the club was founded 120 years ago.
Eze’s goal came in the 16th minute during a quick counterattack. After holding off defenders, Jean-Philippe Mateta passed to Daniel Munoz, who sprinted down the right wing before crossing the ball to Eze. The midfielder struck a powerful volley that beat City’s goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from close range.
Palace’s goalkeeper Dean Henderson played a key role in the win. He made several important saves, including a penalty stop late in the first half. Omar Marmoush took the penalty after Tyrick Mitchell fouled Bernardo Silva, but Henderson dived to his right to keep the ball out. Henderson also denied other attempts from City’s attackers, helping Palace hold on to their lead.
Manchester City, who have won the Premier League four times in a row before this season, faced a difficult campaign under manager Pep Guardiola. This FA Cup final loss adds to their troubles, as the club is now without a trophy for the first time since 2016-17. City are currently sixth in the Premier League and trying to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Guardiola’s decision to play an all-attacking lineup without a defensive midfielder backfired. Eagles manager Oliver Glasner set up his team deep in defense and exploited the space left behind City’s attacking players during transitions.
There was also controversy when Henderson handled the ball outside the penalty area early in the game. VAR reviewed the incident but ruled it was not a clear goal-scoring opportunity, so the goalkeeper stayed on the pitch. This decision was important for Palace as Henderson’s performance kept City from scoring.
Palace have lost in two previous FA Cup finals (1990 and 2016), both times to Manchester United. This win is a historic moment for the club and its fans, who celebrated wildly after the final whistle.
With this victory, Crystal Palace earn a place in next season’s Europa League, giving the club an exciting opportunity to compete in European football for the first time in years. Meanwhile, Manchester City will look to recover quickly and finish the Premier League season strongly.
