Eze Fires Crystal Palace to Historic FA Cup Triumph Over Manchester City
Eberechi Eze lit up Wembley and sent south London into raptures on Saturday as Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City 1-0 to win the FA Cup — the club’s first major trophy in its 119-year history.
Eze volleyed home the only goal of the match after 16 minutes, a strike completely against the run of play. From there, Palace dug deep, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson putting in a heroic performance to repel wave after wave of City attacks — including saving a first-half penalty from Omar Marmoush.
City, who had dominated possession and created a host of chances, were left ruing their wastefulness in front of goal in what turned into a dramatic and enthralling cup final. For the second year running, they fell short at the final hurdle, and this time, it marked the end of a disappointing season — their first without a domestic trophy since 2016-17.
Eze, whose goals in the quarter-finals and semi-finals powered Palace to a third-ever final appearance, was emotional after the match. “This is what dreams are made of — for me and this club,” said the England international, who was famously released by Arsenal as a teenager. “Who thought we could do it? We’ve made history.”
For Palace fans, decked in their trademark purple and blue, it was a day of unbridled joy. After heartbreak in the 1990 and 2016 finals, the third time proved to be the charm.
Manager Oliver Glasner, who took over just 15 months ago, masterminded the historic triumph and in doing so, became the first Austrian to win the FA Cup.
Despite City’s electric start — a clear statement of intent from Pep Guardiola’s side — their finishing let them down, and questions will now grow louder about a team that once seemed untouchable in English football.
But Saturday belonged to Crystal Palace — to the players who defied the odds, the coach who believed, and the fans who finally got their fairytale ending.
Crystal Palace sealed their first-ever major trophy with a 1-0 win over Man City on Saturday.
Palace Hold Their Nerve to Stun City and Seal Historic FA Cup Glory
Manchester City came out with all guns blazing, naming an ultra-attacking lineup devoid of defensive midfielders, and quickly pinned Crystal Palace deep into their own half. Kevin De Bruyne, pulling the strings on what turned out to be his final Wembley appearance in City colors, orchestrated relentless pressure in the opening stages.
De Bruyne’s lofted pass found Erling Haaland at the far post, but Dean Henderson was equal to it, producing a stunning save. Moments later, the Palace keeper denied Josko Gvardiol’s powerful header to keep the underdogs afloat.
But against the run of play, Palace struck in devastating fashion. Their first meaningful attack saw Jean-Philippe Mateta thread a perfect ball to Daniel Muñoz, whose low cross was smashed in first-time by Eberechi Eze. The volley rocketed past Stefan Ortega and sent the Palace faithful into delirium.
Ismaïla Sarr nearly doubled the lead shortly after, but Ortega stood tall. The drama escalated when Henderson appeared to handle outside the box under pressure from Haaland. A tense VAR review followed, but the Palace goalkeeper escaped punishment — much to the relief of his teammates and fans.
Palace weren’t so fortunate minutes later when Tyrick Mitchell tripped Bernardo Silva in the box. Referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot. Surprisingly, Haaland handed the responsibility to Omar Marmoush. The January signing stepped up for his first penalty in City colors — but his tame effort was read perfectly by Henderson, who dived to his right to make another vital stop.
“Incredible. We had a feeling it would be our day today. We deserve this so much,” said Henderson post-match. “Haaland might have stepped up, but he gave it to Marmoush. I knew which way he was going. I knew I would save it.”
City kept pushing, with Jérémy Doku curling a shot destined for the top corner until Henderson acrobatically tipped it over. Despite holding just 19% of possession in the first half, Palace reached the break with their lead intact.
Muñoz thought he had doubled the advantage just after the hour mark, only for VAR to disallow the goal for offside after a lengthy check. City, seven-time FA Cup winners, continued to pile on the pressure, but Henderson — backed by a resolute backline — turned away everything they threw at him.
A collective groan echoed from the Palace end when 10 minutes of stoppage time were announced. But the Eagles held firm. As the final whistle finally rang out, the sound of “Glad All Over” roared around Wembley, a fitting soundtrack to an unforgettable day in Crystal Palace’s history.
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