Before this, Crystal Palace had reached the FA Cup final twice in their history but lost both times to Manchester United (1990 and 2016). They were among four clubs — alongside QPR, Birmingham City, and Watford — to lose multiple finals without ever lifting the trophy. Determined not to become the first to lose three finals without a win, manager Oliver Glasner’s squad made history by clinching their first FA Cup title.
For Pep Guardiola’s Man City, the FA Cup was their last chance at salvaging an otherwise disastrous season, having lost the Premier League title, crashed out early in the Champions League, and exited the Carabao Cup. Given that Palace hadn’t beaten City in their last seven encounters (3 draws, 4 losses), many believed City would easily deny Palace their historic moment. But in a stunning twist, the underdogs prevailed.
City began the match as clear favorites, dominating possession and attacking fiercely from the first whistle. Within the first ten minutes, goalkeeper Dean Henderson had already made two crucial saves from Haaland and Gvardiol. But against the run of play, Palace struck first in the 16th minute with a sharp counterattack: Daniel Muñoz delivered a precise cross for Eberechi Eze to tap home past Ortega.
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City responded with urgency. In the 24th minute, Henderson escaped a potential red card after a controversial challenge outside the box on Haaland — a VAR review ultimately spared him. Then in the 33rd minute, City were awarded a penalty after Mitchell fouled Bernardo Silva, but Omar Marmoush failed to convert, with Henderson producing another brilliant save. Just before halftime, Henderson again denied City with a stunning stop from Doku’s curling effort.
In the second half, Palace remained disciplined and dangerous on the counter. Muñoz had a goal ruled out in the 58th minute due to an earlier offside by Sarr, as determined by VAR. City pushed forward with urgency in the closing stages. In the 75th minute, Kevin De Bruyne unlocked the defense with a brilliant through-ball to O’Reilly, but Muñoz heroically blocked the shot at the last second.
Ultimately, the game was defined by the performance of Dean Henderson, who stood tall as Palace’s hero. His last-minute save in injury time preserved the narrow lead, sealing Crystal Palace’s first-ever FA Cup title in their 119-year history — a night that will be forever etched in club folklore.
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