In a historic and electrifying FA Cup final, Crystal Palace defied the odds to clinch their first major trophy with a stunning 1-0 victory over Manchester City at Wembley. After heartbreaks in the 1990 and 2016 finals, the Eagles soared to glory, thanks to Eberechi Eze’s decisive goal in the 16th minute. The midfielder expertly finished off a dazzling run and pinpoint cross from Daniel Munoz, sending Palace fans into raptures.
However, the match was not without its drama. A controversial moment unfolded in the 33rd minute when Dean Henderson, Crystal Palace’s goalkeeper, saved a penalty from Omar Marmoush after Tyreek Mitchell brought down Bernardo Silva. Erling Haaland, City’s usual penalty taker, surprisingly stepped aside, and Henderson’s heroic save kept Palace in the lead. But the real talking point was whether Henderson should have been on the pitch at all. Earlier, in the 24th minute, the goalkeeper was caught off his line and appeared to handle the ball outside the box as Haaland closed in. VAR ruled it wasn’t a clear goalscoring opportunity, sparing Henderson a red card. Wayne Rooney, former Manchester United star, controversially claimed it was a straight red on the BBC.
Henderson continued to be Palace’s savior, pulling off breathtaking saves against Jeremy Doku and Mateo Kovacic. The drama didn’t end there—Munoz thought he had doubled Palace’s lead in the second half, only for the goal to be disallowed due to Ismaila Sarr being offside.
For Manchester City, the defeat capped off a disappointing season, leaving Pep Guardiola without a trophy for the second time since his arrival in 2016. The Sky Blues now face an uphill battle to secure a Champions League spot, sitting sixth in the Premier League with a game in hand.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, are set to embark on a European adventure in the Europa League next season. They will also feature in the Community Shield against Liverpool, the reigning league champions, in August. This victory marks a new chapter in Palace’s history, proving that dreams do come true on the grandest stage.
Stay updated with the latest in football and explore the best football betting sites in India for more thrilling insights and opportunities.
