LONDON, England – Crystal Palace don make history by winning the FA Cup for the first time, beating Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley on May 17, 2025. Eberechi Eze score the only goal, while Dean Henderson shine bright by stopping a penalty from Omar Marmoush.
The match start with City dominating possession, but everything change when Crystal Palace launch a counterattack in the 16th minute. The move originate from the center, shift to the right wing, where Daniel Muñoz deliver a perfect cross for Eze to finish with a first-time shot, putting Palace in front.
Dean Henderson, the goalkeeper for Crystal Palace and ex-Manchester United player, save the day with a crucial penalty save later in the first half. His quick reflexes kept City from leveling the score, providing necessary momentum for Palace. Henderson show impressive skill throughout the game, stopping other attempts from City’s players, particularly an important save against Jeremy Doku.
“I just try to read the situation and react,” Henderson said after the match. “Every save counts, but that penalty was huge for us.”
Despite several chances for City to equalize, including another from debutant Claudio Echeverri, who had two close tries on goal, the Eagles stood strong. “We had the opportunities, but we couldn’t convert,” Echeverri lamented after the final whistle.
This victory marks a significant achievement for Crystal Palace, a proud club founded in 1905 but had never lifted a major trophy until today. Previously, they had only won titles in lower divisions and were runners-up in the FA Cup in 1990 and 2016.
“This is a special moment for our club and fans,” Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner said. “We’ve been building something really good here, and this win is the cherry on top.”
With this victory, Palace also secures a spot in the next UEFA Europa League, further solidifying their place in English football. Meanwhile, for City, the defeat means a season without trophies for the first time since 2017, a heavy blow for Pep Guardiola and his team.
In the technical sheet: Crystal Palace: Henderson; Muñoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi (Lerma, 61), Mitchell; Wharton (Hughes, 87), Kamada; Sarr, Eze, Mateta (Nketiah, 78). Manchester City: Ortega; Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Silva (Gündogan, 88), De Bruyne, Marmoush (Echeverri, 76); Savinho (Foden, 76), Doku, Haaland. Goal: 1-0, Eze, 16 min.
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