If this was indeed Pep Guardiola’s 24th and last Wembley trip as Manchester City’s manager, he departed in typical fashion—as a victor and mastermind of magical moments. Actually, there was just one of the latter here, but it will live on because Antoine Semenyo lit up an FA Cup final that had previously been more about sweat than inspiration.
By the time the Wembley clock reached 72 minutes, Chelsea were in the lead and anxious to get past their recent problems. Semenyo allowed his instincts to guide him, and the outcome was a brilliant flick with his trailing leg that expertly redirected the ball into the far corner. Chelsea had no way back since the technique matched the vision.
He was even more motivated to add another FA Cup to the Carabao Cup won in March since the Premier League crown appeared unattainable and Arsenal was now so close to it. He accomplished it because of Semenyo, and this is his 17th major prize (not including the three Community Shields) in ten years with City.
Manchester City wins FA Cup final
Antoine Semenyo’s winning goal will be repeated for years to come as one of the greatest cup final goals, but this FA Cup final will soon be forgotten as a spectacle.
Since moving from Bournemouth to the Etihad in January for £62.5 million, the City attacker has had a significant influence on Pep Guardiola’s team. He scored nine goals for the Blues prior to their match against Chelsea at Wembley. However, none have been more significant or spectacular than his goal in the second half, which gave City the victory in a gloomy cup final.
To be fair to Guardiola, he quickly corrected his error. After Cherki replaced Marmoush at halftime, City appeared more formidable right away. He initiated the move that resulted in Semenyo’s goal by finding the gap between the lines. Cherki also had a chance to score, but Chelsea custodian Robert Sanchez stopped him with a powerful hand.
City supporters are accustomed to Guardiola making unexpected team selections during crucial matches. Over the previous several years, he has gotten more reliable, but against Chelsea, there was yet another unexpected development. Cherki ultimately shown why he was deserving of the starting position.
