Crystal Palace vs Manchester City FA Cup Report

Scorer: Eze 16’

Crystal Palace wrote their name into the history books by winning their first-ever major honour, defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the 2025 FA Cup final at Wembley. Eberechi Eze’s superb first-half volley proved the difference, as Dean Henderson’s heroics and a resilient defensive display saw the Eagles finally lift silverware in a landmark moment for the South London club.

First Half – Eze Stuns City as Henderson Emerges Hero

Manchester City predictably dominated the early exchanges, with Kevin De Bruyne – making his final FA Cup appearance for the club – orchestrating play and combining with Erling Haaland, who forced an early stop from Dean Henderson. Yet despite City’s pressure, it was Palace who struck first against the run of play. Daniel Muñoz broke with purpose on the counter and picked out Eberechi Eze, who rifled a superb volley past Stefan Ortega to give Palace a shock lead.

Palace then had to ride their luck. Dean Henderson appeared to handle outside his area when challenging Haaland, but VAR declined to intervene. Moments later, Tyrick Mitchell clumsily brought down Bernardo Silva in the box, gifting City a penalty. Henderson, however, preserved the lead by denying Omar Marmoush with a stunning one-handed save.

The Palace stopper wasn’t done there. Just before the interval, he flew to his left to keep out a curling effort from Jérémy Doku. Palace thought they’d doubled their lead when Muñoz slotted home after a deflection from Ismaïla Sarr, but the winger was ruled offside in the build-up.

Second Half – Palace Hold Firm, City Blunt

City remained blunt in attack after the restart, with De Bruyne again creating a golden opportunity – this time for youngster Nico O’Reilly – who failed to convert after hesitating in the box. In a rare roll of the dice, Pep Guardiola introduced debutant Claudio Echeverri, and the teenager nearly made an instant impact, only to be denied again by Henderson.

Palace continued to defend valiantly, absorbing wave after wave of City pressure. Even as the board showed 10 minutes of stoppage time, City failed to craft a clear-cut opportunity, their frustration embodied in wayward efforts and crowded penalty area scrambles.

Conclusion – A Day of Glory at Wembley

As the final whistle blew, Crystal Palace’s players and supporters erupted in celebration. Patrick Vieira’s men etched their names into club folklore with an unforgettable Wembley triumph. Eberechi Eze’s goal and Dean Henderson’s masterclass between the sticks will live long in the memory.

Palace not only secured their maiden FA Cup crown but also qualified for next season’s UEFA Europa League, capping off a dream campaign. For Manchester City, the day marked a bitter end to Kevin De Bruyne’s FA Cup journey, as they failed to claim what many expected would be another piece of silverware in their glittering recent history.

For more info on this game’s outcome, you may also visit:
Fixtures – Emirates FA Cup – Competitions | The Football Association