Antoine Semenyo produced one of the great FA Cup final goals to hand Manchester City a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday, securing the club’s eighth FA Cup title and Pep Guardiola’s third in the competition.
The Ghana winger, signed from Bournemouth in January, settled a scrappy final with a moment of pure improvisation in the 72nd minute — deftly back-heeling Erling Haaland’s cut-back into the far corner to the delight of the City faithful.
It was a finish worthy of winning any trophy, placing Semenyo alongside Ricky Villa, Michael Owen, Roberto Di Matteo and Steven Gerrard in the pantheon of iconic FA Cup final scorers. The irony was not lost on observers: the 26-year-old grew up within walking distance of Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge ground.The victory ended City’s painful run of back-to-back final defeats against Crystal Palace and Manchester United, and added to their League Cup triumph over Arsenal in March — making it two pieces of silverware this season.
Guardiola, who also lifted the FA Cup in 2019 and 2023, now has 20 trophies across his decade-long reign at the Etihad. His next challenge is an unlikely Premier League title charge — City sit five points behind leaders Arsenal going into the final two matches, and would need a Wembley miracle to overhaul the Gunners.
Arsenal can clinch the title with a win at Crystal Palace on May 24. Questions over Guardiola’s own future continue to linger. With one year left on his contract, the 55-year-old has given no indication whether he intends to stay or walk away — but if Saturday proved anything, it is that he still knows how to win.
For Chelsea, the defeat was another bitter chapter in a wretched campaign. Without a league win in seven games and stuck in ninth place, their Champions League hopes are effectively dead.
Interim manager Calum McFarlane organised a disciplined five-man defensive shape that kept City at bay for long periods but offered little going forward.
Frustrated fans had protested against owners BlueCo before kick-off, chanting “we want our Chelsea back. ” The result on the pitch did little to silence them.
Haaland had earlier struck the post-man Sanchez at his near post after latching onto a Marc Guehi pass, while Chelsea’s penalty appeals — after Joao Pedro was bundled over by Khusanov just before half-time — were waved away. Caicedo’s header was also cleared off the line by Rodri after goalkeeper James Trafford fumbled a corner.
In the end, it took one moment of genius to separate two underachieving sides — and it belonged entirely to Semenyo.
