Premier League champions-elect Manchester City kept their hopes of a historic treble alive after edging Chelsea 1-0 in a tense FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The match was decided by a moment of pure brilliance from Antoine Semenyo, whose audacious back-heel finish in the 72nd minute sealed City’s eighth FA Cup crown and sent the blue half of Manchester into celebration.
After a largely scrappy and tactical contest, Semenyo lit up Wembley when he instinctively flicked home Erling Haaland’s dangerous cross with a sublime back-heel that left Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez stranded.
The victory handed manager Pep Guardiola his 20th trophy with City and added the FA Cup to their League Cup triumph earlier this season. Guardiola’s side now remain in contention for an incredible treble as they continue chasing league leaders Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
Chelsea, meanwhile, suffered another painful setback in a frustrating campaign. Despite a disciplined defensive performance, the London side struggled to create clear-cut chances and remain in danger of missing out on next season’s Champions League.
City dominated possession for most of the match, with Haaland threatening on several occasions before eventually providing the assist for the winning goal. Chelsea came closest through Moises Caicedo, whose header was dramatically cleared off the line by Rodri.
But the night belonged to Semenyo, whose unforgettable finish will go down among the great FA Cup final goals in recent history.
