Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City on Saturday with a 1-0 triumph in the FA Cup final, securing their first-ever major trophy in a landmark moment at Wembley Stadium. Eberechi Eze scored the decisive goal, while goalkeeper Dean Henderson delivered a heroic performance to deny City and compound a turbulent season for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Eze netted the winner in the 16th minute with a clinical volley after a swift counterattack, capping off a remarkable personal journey that saw him previously rejected by Arsenal, Fulham, and Millwall.
Henderson proved pivotal in preserving Palace’s lead, notably saving a first-half penalty from Omar Marmoush after Bernardo Silva was fouled. The Manchester City bench and fans were left incensed earlier when Henderson escaped a potential red card for handling the ball outside the area — a decision upheld after a VAR review.
City, beaten in last year’s final and enduring their first trophyless season since 2016–17, were left reeling. Guardiola’s tactical gamble — fielding an attacking lineup with no defensive midfield anchor — backfired as Palace boss Oliver Glasner exploited the setup with disciplined counterattacking play.
Despite an early scare from Erling Haaland, whose volley forced a scrambling save from Henderson, Palace stayed resolute. The Eagles absorbed pressure and capitalized on their few opportunities, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Daniel Muñoz combining to set up Eze’s goal.
City’s woes deepened when Marmoush’s penalty was denied and Henderson later produced two crucial saves from Jeremy Doku and Claudio Echeverri to secure victory.
Palace, previously runners-up in 1990 and 2016, now qualify for next season’s UEFA Europa League, while City will shift focus to securing a top-four Premier League finish with matches against Bournemouth and Fulham remaining.
