Antoine Semenyo produced one of the great FA Cup final goals with an audacious back-flick that sealed Manchester City’s 1-0 win against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.
Semenyo illuminated a largely scrappy final late in the second half as he improvised a sublime finish to caress Erling Haaland’s cross into the net.
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The Ghana winger’s moment of magic was enough to clinch City’s eighth FA Cup triumph and their second piece of silverware this season after the League Cup final win over Arsenal in March.
Semenyo joins Ricky Villa, Michael Owen, Roberto Di Matteo and Steven Gerrard among the ranks of iconic FA Cup final goalscorers.
Ironically, the 26-year-old — an inspired signing from Bournemouth in the January window — was born just a stone’s throw from Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge home in west London.
The third FA Cup success of Guardiola’s reign ended City’s run of two successive defeats in the final against Crystal Palace and Manchester United.
Guardiola, who also lifted the trophy in 2023 and 2019, has now won 20 trophies in his glittering decade as City manager.
His attention will turn back to City’s slender hopes of making it 21 pieces of silverware with a miracle in the Premier League title race.
City, on a 21-game unbeaten domestic run, will be five points behind leaders Arsenal if the Gunners beat relegated Burnley at home on Monday.
Guardiola’s men can close the gap back to two points with a victory at Bournemouth in their penultimate match of the season on Tuesday.
But Arsenal would still guarantee their first English title since 2004 by winning at Palace on May 24.
Ahead of his 24th trip to Wembley with City, Guardiola joked that he was “so disappointed” he has not had a stand named after him at the home of English football.
Whether he will be back with City remain a matter of conjecture. Uncertainty has swirled around Guardiola’s future all season and, with just one year left on his contract, the 55-year-old is yet to give an indication if he plans to stay or go at the end of this term.
If it is about to be the end of an era, Semenyo ensured Guardiola will leave with at least one more golden memory.
M City crowd FA Cup champs for 8th time | 00:48
– Knockout blow –
For Chelsea, the loss was the latest blow in another turbulent campaign. Without a win in their last seven league games, they are languishing in ninth place with virtually no chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Under interim boss Calum McFarlane, they produced a battling but ultimately impotent display that underlined why frustrated fans protested against owners BlueCo before kick-off and chanted “we want our Chelsea back”.
With Chelsea content to sit deep in their five-man defence, City dominated possession for long periods of the first half, but couldn’t make the breakthrough.
It was a cagey and often flat occasion, in keeping with two teams who have underachieved this season.
Haaland fired wide from an acute angle after stealing possession on the edge of the Chelsea area.
Haaland threatened to prise open Chelsea’s well-drilled rearguard late in the first half, surging onto Marc Guehi’s pass for a stinging strike that Robert Sanchez saved at his near post.
Relying on only occasional counter-attacks, Chelsea felt aggrieved just before the interval when their penalty claim was rejected after Joao Pedro was bundled over by Abdukodir Khusanov.
Semenyo should have broken the deadlock immediately after the break, heading over from six yards after climbing to meet Nico O’Reilly’s cross.
Moises Caicedo’s header was nodded off the line by Rodri after City keeper James Trafford fumbled a corner.
But City finally delivered the knockout blow in the 72nd minute. Haaland made a clever run down the right-hand side of the Chelsea area and cut the ball back to Semenyo, who deftly back-heeled his supreme finish into the far corner from close range.
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– ‘Not even one beer’ –
Pep Guardiola said his Manchester City players would not even be allowed “one beer” despite beating Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley on Saturday to clinch the club’s eighth FA Cup.
Antoine Semenyo scored the only goal the game, producing a moment of magic in the 72nd minute to unlock the Chelsea defence.
City celebrated victory after falling at the final hurdle in the past two years, against Manchester United and Crystal Palace.
“This trophy is really, really cool, really special for the tradition,” said Guardiola. “And after two defeats, back to Manchester is nice.” The City boss was asked whether his players would be allowed to celebrate their Wembley triumph.
“No, home,” he said. “Not even one beer. Next Monday, after Aston Villa, we are going to celebrate it with the women’s team.” Guardiola’s men still have an outside chance of completing a domestic treble after beating Arsenal in the League Cup final in March.
They are two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal with two games left in a compelling title race.
The Gunners host relegated Burnley on Monday while City travel to high-flying Bournemouth the following day.
On May 24, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal face Crystal Palace while City host Aston Villa.
City have announced an open-top bus parade on May 25, the day after the Premier League season wraps up, to celebrate the achievements of the men’s, women’s and academy teams.
The women’s team sealed the Women’s Super League title earlier this month. Guardiola praised Wembley matchwinner Semenyo, who arrived from Bournemouth in the January transfer window.
“The impact for both him and Marc (Guehi, who joined from Crystal Palace) in the wintertime has been massive,” he said.
“A little bit of a swap, because normally he has to cross to Erling (Haaland), and Erling in that case crossed to him. But he has a sense of goal, good finishing, so yeah, a really good goal.” The City boss paid tribute to the departing John Stones and Bernardo Silva. Stones remained on the substitutes’ bench at Wembley while Silva captained the side.
“There have been really no words, I said many times, to express the incredible gratitude for on and off the pitch, how they behave, represent this club in the best way possible, said Guardiola.
“Bernardo is a machine, never injured. Played in all the roles and has always been incredibly competitive. Today, he showed it again.” Guardiola said it was a painful decision to leave players out. “Hopefully, we can extend in Bournemouth the game to arrive at Aston Villa for the last game and win the last game,” he added.
“And make the best tribute possible, with the chance to fight for the Premier League.”
– Alonso set to join Chelsea –
Xabi Alonso is set to be named as Chelsea’s new manager, just four months after being sacked by Real Madrid, according to various media reports on Saturday.
The Spaniard has reached an agreement in principle with the Premier League club and could be appointed before their match against Tottenham on Tuesday, reported Britain’s Press Association.
Chelsea were not expected to name a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, who lost his job last month, before the end of the season.
But signing Alonso would be a huge coup for the Blues, who have endured a miserable campaign and lost Saturday’s FA Cup final 1-0 to Manchester City.
Alonso led Bayer Leverkusen to their maiden Bundesliga title with a remarkable unbeaten campaign in 2023/24.
But the 44-year-old’s stay with Madrid proved short-lived as he lasted just seven months at the Santiago Bernabeu before being replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa.
Alonso, who played in England for Liverpool, would be the fifth permanent Chelsea manager since owners BlueCo bought the club in 2022, after Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Rosenior.
Chelsea sit ninth in the Premier League table and are unlikely to qualify for European football next season, with just two matches remaining this campaign.