Crystal Palace have written their names into football folklore after claiming their FIRST EVER major trophy with a sensational 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup Final.
In scenes of pure ecstasy at Wembley Stadium, Oliver Glasner’s heroic Eagles finally banished the ghosts of their previous final defeats to Manchester United in 1990 and 2016 to send the red and blue half of London into dreamland.
EZE DOES IT!
Palace’s magician Eberechi Eze etched his name into club legend with a clinical 16th-minute volley that proved to be the difference between the sides. The goal came against the run of play as Daniel Muñoz, outstanding all afternoon, delivered a perfect cross for Eze to expertly convert.
But the true hero of the hour was goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who pulled off a series of spectacular saves—none more important than his penalty stop from Omar Marmoush just after the half-hour mark.
HENDERSON HEROICS
The former Manchester United keeper found himself at the centre of controversy when he appeared to handle outside his area to deny Erling Haaland. City players were incensed when he was only shown a yellow card, with VAR confirming the decision.
Henderson’s moment of redemption came shortly after when Tyrick Mitchell’s rash challenge on Bernardo Silva gave City a golden opportunity from the spot. Marmoush stepped up, but Henderson dived brilliantly to his right to save both the initial penalty and Haaland’s rebound effort.
The Palace shot-stopper continued his heroics throughout the match, producing stunning saves to deny Jérémy Doku, Claudio Echeverri (twice), and keeping his team ahead as City piled on the pressure.
PALACE’S PERFECT PLAN
Glasner’s tactical master plan saw Palace defend with remarkable discipline in a compact 5-4-1 formation when out of possession. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s hold-up play gave the team valuable breathing space, while Muñoz was relentless up and down the right flank.
The Eagles thought they’d doubled their lead when Muñoz fired home after Stefan Ortega’s save, but VAR intervened to rule it out after the ball had deflected off an offside Ismaïla Sarr.
CITY’S SILVERWARE DROUGHT
For Manchester City, the defeat marks their first trophyless season since Pep Guardiola’s debut campaign in 2016-17. Despite dominating possession, City struggled to break down Palace’s resolute defence, with Kevin De Bruyne and Haaland unable to find the clinical edge when it mattered most.
GLORY AT LAST
When the referee finally blew the whistle after an agonising 10 minutes of added time, Palace players collapsed to the turf in exhaustion and jubilation. Their fans, who had suffered through decades without major silverware, erupted in scenes of unbridled joy.
For a club that has endured so much heartbreak, this historic triumph will be treasured forever. The Eagles have landed—and they’ve brought the FA Cup with them!
