Antoine Semenyo’s stunning flick earned Manchester City a 1-0 win over Chelsea as Pep Guardiola’s side lifted the FA Cup at Wembley.
Manchester City lifted the FA Cup after Antoine Semenyo’s brilliant second-half strike secured a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side added the trophy to the Carabao Cup they won earlier this season and kept their slim Premier League title hopes remain alive heading into the final week.
It was not a classic FA Cup final by any means, but one moment of quality from Semenyo ultimately separated the two sides. Chelsea battled hard throughout the contest but failed to find a breakthrough and suffered a fourth straight FA Cup final defeat.
The opening stages were tense and cautious, with both teams struggling to create clear openings. Chelsea set up compactly and frustrated City for long spells, while Guardiola’s side lacked their usual fluency in possession.
City almost took the lead midway through the first half when Erling Haaland bundled home from close range, but the goal was ruled out after Matheus Nunes drifted offside in the build-up. Haaland later forced Robert Sanchez into a comfortable save after capitalising on a loose touch from Reece James.
Chelsea offered little attacking threat before the break but defended with discipline. Cole Palmer spent much of the half helping Malo Gusto contain Jeremy Doku, while Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana dealt well with City’s movement inside the box.
The game opened slightly after the restart as Chelsea began to enjoy more possession. Moises Caicedo came close with a header that Rodri cleared off the line, while Enzo Fernandez volleyed narrowly over after a dangerous long throw into the area.
City then found the decisive breakthrough in the 72nd minute through a stunning piece of improvisation from Semenyo. Bernardo Silva slipped Haaland into space down the right, and the Norwegian delivered a low cross into the box.
With Colwill tight behind him, Semenyo produced a clever backheel flick that sent the ball beyond Sanchez and into the far corner. The Ghana international became the first Ghanaian player to score in an FA Cup final and delivered the competition’s defining moment.
Chelsea pushed for an equaliser immediately after conceding, but Fernandez guided a close-range effort onto the roof of the net. Liam Delap later headed over, while Pedro Neto briefly threatened after coming off the bench.
The final produced only 16 total shots, the fewest recorded in an FA Cup final since Opta began collecting data in 2005. City finished with 56 percent possession and registered four shots on target compared to Chelsea’s one.
Semenyo was City’s brightest attacking player throughout and constantly troubled Marc Cucurella. Haaland failed to score again at Wembley but finally recorded his first goal involvement in a final for City with the assist.
Rodri also impressed in midfield during his return to the starting lineup, while Bernardo Silva’s relentless pressing disrupted Chelsea’s rhythm. For Chelsea, Sanchez made several important saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
Manchester City return to Premier League action on Tuesday with a trip to sixth-placed AFC Bournemouth. Guardiola’s side remain two points behind league leaders Arsenal and still have hopes of completing a domestic treble. Chelsea, meanwhile, host Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge before ending their campaign away to Sunderland. The Blues are currently ninth and face an uphill battle to secure European football next season.
