Semenyo leads Manchester City to FA Cup victory over Chelsea
Manchester City were crowned FA Cup champions for the eighth time in their history after a valuable 1–0 victory over Chelsea on Saturday in the competition’s final.
Pep Guardiola’s side secured a domestic double and now hope to complete a historic treble. Ghanaian international star Antoine Semenyo scored a goal to seal the win, playing the hero at Wembley Stadium in London.
The match took place in the presence of Prince William, the Prince of Wales and President of the English Football Association. Semenyo netted the only goal of the game in the 71st minute with a brilliant backheel finish, handing City their second domestic trophy this season after winning the Carabao Cup against Arsenal at the same venue in March.
Manchester City are also aiming to secure a third domestic title this season, as they currently sit second in the Premier League table, just two points behind leaders Arsenal, with only two rounds remaining.
With this triumph, City became the fourth club to win the FA Cup eight times, matching Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham, while Arsenal remain the record holders with 14 titles, one ahead of Manchester United.
This was City’s 15th FA Cup final appearance. It also marked the third meeting between City and Chelsea across all competitions this season. The two sides had previously drawn 1–1 at the Etihad in January, before City secured a 3–0 win at Stamford Bridge in April.
City continued their dominance over Chelsea, extending their unbeaten run against them to 14 matches in all competitions (11 wins and 3 draws). Chelsea have now failed to beat City for nearly five years, since their 1–0 victory in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final.
The win also marked City’s 70th victory over Chelsea in their head-to-head history, compared to 71 wins for the London side, with 42 draws.
By lifting the trophy, Manchester City reclaimed the FA Cup title they last won in the 2022–2023 season, after finishing as runners-up in the following two editions, losing the finals to Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively.
