Crystal Palace Stuns Manchester City to Win FA Cup Final
In a stunning upset at Wembley Stadium, Crystal Palace defeated Manchester City 1-0 to win the FA Cup Final. A first-half goal by Eberechi Eze secured the victory, marking a historic moment for the club and their fans. This triumph not only gives Crystal Palace their first major trophy but also earns them a spot in next season's UEFA Europa League League Phase.
The match was a captivating contest filled with drama, including a missed penalty by Manchester City's Omar Marmoush and a disallowed goal. Crystal Palace's resolute defense and clinical finishing proved to be the difference, leaving Pep Guardiola's side frustrated and empty-handed.
Match Summary
The match began with Manchester City dominating possession, but it was Crystal Palace who struck first. In the 16th minute, Daniel Muñoz delivered a precise cross to Eberechi Eze, who calmly slotted the ball into the net. The goal sent shockwaves through Wembley and ignited the Palace supporters.
Manchester City had a golden opportunity to equalize in the 36th minute when they were awarded a penalty. However, Omar Marmoush's spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who also denied Haaland on the rebound. Henderson's heroics continued throughout the match, frustrating City's star-studded attack.
In the second half, Daniel Muñoz thought he had doubled Palace's lead, but his goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR review. Manchester City threw everything they had at Crystal Palace, but the Palace defense stood firm, repelling wave after wave of attacks.
Key Moments
- 16' Goal! Eberechi Eze scores for Crystal Palace, assisted by Daniel Muñoz.
- 36' Penalty Missed! Omar Marmoush's penalty is saved by Dean Henderson.
- 58' Goal Disallowed! Daniel Muñoz's goal is ruled out for offside.
Match Statistics
Despite Manchester City's dominance in possession, Crystal Palace's resilience and clinical finishing secured the victory. Here's a breakdown of the key stats:
- Shots on Goal: Crystal Palace 2, Manchester City 6
- Shots off Goal: Crystal Palace 1, Manchester City 6
- Total Shots: Crystal Palace 7, Manchester City 21
- Blocked Shots: Crystal Palace 4, Manchester City 9
- Fouls: Crystal Palace 7, Manchester City 7
- Corner Kicks: Crystal Palace 1, Manchester City 7
- Offsides: Crystal Palace 6, Manchester City 1
- Ball Possession: Crystal Palace 22%, Manchester City 78%
- Yellow Cards: Crystal Palace 1, Manchester City 5
- Goalkeeper Saves: Crystal Palace 6, Manchester City 1
- Total Passes: Crystal Palace 187, Manchester City 655
- Pass Accuracy: Crystal Palace 67%, Manchester City 91%
Team Lineups
Here are the starting lineups and substitutes for both teams, as reported:
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1)
| Position | # | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | Dean Henderson | Yellow Card (90+1') |
| D | 26 | Chris Richards | |
| D | 5 | Maxence Lacroix | |
| D | 6 | Marc Guéhi | OFF 61' |
| M | 12 | Daniel Muñoz | Assist (16') |
| M | 20 | Adam Wharton | OFF 87' |
| M | 18 | Daichi Kamada | |
| M | 3 | Tyrick Mitchell | |
| F | 7 | Ismaïla Sarr | |
| F | 10 | Eberechi Eze | Goal (16') |
| F | 14 | Jean-Philippe Mateta | OFF 78' |
Substitutes
| Position | # | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | 30 | Matt Turner | |
| D | 25 | Ben Chilwell | |
| D | 17 | Nathaniel Clyne | |
| D | 2 | Joel Ward | |
| M | 8 | Jefferson Lerma | ON 61' |
| M | 19 | Will Hughes | ON 87' |
| M | 55 | Justin Devenny | |
| M | 21 | Romain Esse | |
| F | 9 | Edward Nketiah | ON 78' |
Manchester City (4-2-3-1)
| Position | # | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | 18 | Stefan Ortega | |
| D | 25 | Manuel Akanji | |
| D | 3 | Rúben Dias | Yellow Card (82') |
| D | 24 | Joško Gvardiol | |
| D | 75 | Nico O'Reilly | Yellow Card (66') |
| M | 17 | Kevin De Bruyne | Yellow Card (85') |
| M | 20 | Bernardo Silva | Yellow Card (75'), OFF 88' |
| M | 26 | Savinho | OFF 76' |
| M | 7 | Omar Marmoush | OFF 76' |
| M | 11 | Jérémy Doku | |
| F | 9 | Erling Haaland |
Substitutes
| Position | # | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | 31 | Ederson | |
| D | 22 | Vitor Reis | |
| D | 45 | Abdukodir Khusanov | |
| M | 47 | Phil Foden | ON 76' |
| M | 27 | Matheus Nunes | |
| M | 10 | Jack Grealish | |
| M | 14 | Nico González | |
| M | 19 | İlkay Gündoğan | ON 88' |
| M | 30 | Claudio Echeverri | ON 76', Yellow Card (90+4') |
Player Ratings and Stats
Detailed player statistics provide further insight into individual performances. Here's a look at some key players:
Crystal Palace
| Player | Mins | Rating | Goals | Assists | Shots (On) | Passes | Key Passes | Tackles | Blocks & Interceptions | Duels (Won) | Dribbles (Success) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Henderson | 93 | 8.3 | - | - | - (-) | 30 | - | 1 | -/- | 2 (2) | - (-) |
| Chris Richards | 93 | 7.3 | - | - | - (-) | 17 | - | 1 | 3/- | 7 (5) | 1 (-) |
| Eberechi Eze | 93 | 7.2 | 1 | - | 1 (1) | 15 | - | - | -/2 | 5 (2) | 2 (-) |
| Daniel Muñoz | 93 | 7.0 | - | 1 | 1 (-) | 11 | 2 | 5 | -/- | 13 (6) | - (-) |
Manchester City
| Player | Mins | Rating | Goals | Assists | Shots (On) | Passes | Key Passes | Tackles | Blocks & Interceptions | Duels (Won) | Dribbles (Success) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin De Bruyne | 93 | 7.7 | - | - | 1 (-) | 78 | 3 | 3 | -/- | 10 (6) | 1 (1) |
| Joško Gvardiol | 93 | 7.9 | - | - | 1 (1) | 98 | 1 | 2 | -/- | 10 (6) | - (-) |
| Rúben Dias | 93 | 7.6 | - | - | - (-) | 127 | - | 1 | 1/- | 5 (4) | - (-) |
These statistics, derived from MCFCBot, highlight the key contributions from players on both sides.
Reactions and Analysis
The victory sent Crystal Palace fans into jubilation, with many taking to social media to express their excitement. According to Reddit, some fans noted parallels between Crystal Palace's underdog story and the fictional team Richmond from the TV series "Ted Lasso," which was filmed at Palace's stadium, Selhurst Park.
The result also had implications for other teams. As noted on Reddit, Liverpool fans realized that their team would play Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield next season.
Looking Ahead
Crystal Palace's FA Cup triumph marks a significant milestone in the club's history, securing their first major trophy and a place in the UEFA Europa League League Phase. While Manchester City will be disappointed with the result, they will look to bounce back and strengthen their squad for the upcoming season.
The match will be remembered as a classic FA Cup Final, filled with drama, excitement, and a stunning upset. Crystal Palace's victory serves as an inspiration to underdogs everywhere, proving that anything is possible with determination, resilience, and a touch of magic.
For extended highlights and match analysis, fans can visit footballhighlights.