Manchester City has claimed an impressive double in the domestic cup competitions. Thanks to a moment of magic by their January arrival Antoine Semenyo, City were about to lock down a 1-0 victory over their opponents Chelsea during a highly competitive FA Cup Final game on Saturday.
Apart from winning the Carabao Cup in March, the City team now has an additional prestigious award – that of the world’s oldest football competition for the season 2025-26. Their departing captain, Bernardo Silva, won it for his team in his final season.
The Match Action
The match at Wembley was not exactly an example of a beautiful game between two teams finding the right tempo and pace. While both teams had their moments in the second half, they struggled throughout a cagey first half to find any rhythm and started the clash quite tentatively. With the arrival of the team captain Reece James as well as goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, Chelsea seemed well-organized and managed to stop the reigning champions for good portions of time. The Blues lacked some offensive power due to Cole Palmer’s work on the flank trying to shut down Jérémy Doku.
As for the Citizens, despite having Ballon d’Or winner Rodri returning from the injury list to their squad, they started rather slowly. There even appeared a chance to open the scoring before halftime, with Matheus Nunes scoring for City, only for the referee to nullify it as Erling Haaland was adjudged to be offside.
It came eventually in the 72nd minute, and it was worth waiting for. It was Haaland who switched roles, cutting inside from the wing and delivering an exquisite cross into the penalty area. In a one-on-one situation with the towering Levi Colwill, Antoine Semenyo performed a sublime right-heeled chip to steer the ball past Sánchez into the far corner of the goal.
Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane decided to put all his cards on the deck with his team needing an equalizer. Moisés Caicedo had a header saved by Rodri, while Enzo Fernández missed with a last-minute attempt which flew over the crossbar. Chelsea players were livid after being denied a penalty when Abdoukodir Khusanov shoved Jorrel Hato inside the box.
Data Debrief: Pep Does It Again
- The Cup Double: This is the sixth time that a club has managed to win the FA Cup and EFL (Carabao) Cup in the same season. This is the second time that Manchester City has accomplished this feat, which they achieved in the 2018-19 season.
- Semenyo Makes History: With the impressive £64 million transfer move of Antoine Semenyo in the middle of the season from Bournemouth, he has made history once again. He becomes the first Ghanaian player to net a goal in the FA Cup final match.
- Guardiola’s Haul: Pep Guardiola has added the 20th major trophy under his belt after winning the FA Cup for the third time during his spell at the Etihad Stadium.
- Haaland’s Milestone: Quite surprisingly, Semenyo’s strike became the first goal participation in a final for Erling Haaland.
- Wembley Curse: Once again, Chelsea suffered an disappointing defeat. For the fifth straight domestic cup final at Wembley, they could not manage even a solitary goal.
The Aftermath
For Manchester City, the celebrations were sweet, particularly for Bernardo Silva. The departing playmaker revelled in the victory, acknowledging the special nature of his final season. City still harbour slim hopes of a domestic treble, though they will need Arsenal to slip up in the final week of the Premier League season to snatch the title.
For Calum McFarlane and Chelsea, the defeat carries massive continental implications. By missing out on the FA Cup trophy, they also missed out on the guaranteed Europa League spot that accompanies it. With a top-seven finish in the Premier League looking highly unlikely, Chelsea’s only route back into European football now relies on overhauling a gap on Brentford and Brighton to secure European football.
McFarlane cut a frustrated figure at full-time, insisting his side were robbed of a lifeline. “In terms of the penalty incidents, the Hato and Khusanov collision is a penalty,” the interim boss stated. “Jorrel gets in front and anywhere else on the pitch, that’s a foul.”
Match Summary
- Final Score: Chelsea 0-1 Manchester City
- Goal: Semenyo (72′)
- Venue: Wembley Stadium
