Antoine Semenyo’s audacious back-flick settled a scrappy FA Cup final, firing Manchester City to a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Wembley and completing a historic domestic double for Pep Guardiola.
The Ghana winger’s late strike delivered City’s eighth FA Cup and second trophy this season.
Guardiola became the first English manager to win the domestic cup double twice, repeating the 2018/19 feat with this season’s EFL Cup and FA Cup.
The victory also pushed City to 17 domestic cup trophies, closing in on Liverpool’s 18 and United’s 19.
Chelsea’s misery deepened after a seventh league game without a win left them ninth and out of Champions League contention.
Interim boss Calum McFarlane’s side defended deep but offered little threat, prompting pre-match protests against owners BlueCo and chants of “we want our Chelsea back”.
City controlled possession early but struggled to break down Chelsea’s five-man defence.
Erling Haaland went close twice, firing wide from a tight angle and forcing a near-post save from Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea felt aggrieved before half-time when Joao Pedro’s penalty appeal was waved away after contact with Abdukodir Khusanov.
Semenyo missed a gilt-edged chance early in the second half, heading over from six yards, while Moises Caicedo saw his header cleared off the line by Rodri after James Trafford fumbled a corner.
The breakthrough came in the 72nd minute when Haaland’s cutback found Semenyo, who finished with a deft back-heel into the far corner.
Goalkeeper James Trafford joined Ederson as the only keepers to win both domestic cups in one season with clean sheets in both finals.
City now sit on 17 domestic cup wins, one behind Liverpool and two behind Manchester United.
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