Crystal Palace crowned the greatest day in their history with a first-ever Emirates FA Cup triumph as Eberechi Eze’s first-half goal was enough to beat Manchester City 1-0 in a thrilling final.
Eze swept in Daniel Munoz’s cross in just the 15th minute to send the west stand of Wembley Stadium wild, before a stubborn Palace defence kept a probing City at bay.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson was perhaps the biggest hero of all, saving an Omar Marmoush penalty in the first half and making a couple more brilliant saves to keep City out.
The Citizens, in their third straight final, created plenty of chances to score but struggled to threaten too often. Palace, for large parts of the match, were comfortable.
But at the death, they pinned Palace back – firing off plenty of shots and launched an endless amount of crosses – but just couldn’t find a way through, as the Eagles – in their 120th year and after two heart-breaking final defeats in 1990 and 2016 – finally lifted football’s oldest trophy.
City kicked off chasing an eighth FA Cup success to move them level with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, and they started in ominous form.
Erling Haaland almost scored in the sixth minute as he thrust out his left boot to divert a clipped Kevin De Bruyne cross goalwards, but Dean Henderson just about got down to make a superb reaction save.
After nine minutes, Manchester City had already completed 60 passes, Crystal Palace had completed six to illustrate – and the early onslaught didn’t let up, with Josko Gvardiol and Manuel Akanji both going close from corners.
But, while possession might be nine-tenths of the law, Palace quickly proved that the only one that really matters is the scoreline. With their first attack of the game, they took the lead, as Jean-Philippe Mateta fed Daniel Munoz out wide, and his low cross was slotted into the corner by Eze.
CRYSTAL PALACE STRIKE FIRST IN THE FINAL 😲
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 17, 2025
Who else but @EbereEze10!? 🤩#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/CQGR9cUFPl
The England midfielder’s first-time finish was crisp and controlled and sparked bedlam in the Palace end, as they took the lead.
Like London buses, one almost became two instantly. Palace again galloped forwards on the counter-attack, and another cross from the right was flicked goalwards from Mateta. Unfortunately for him, it was straight at goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who made a reaction save
It took City some time to respond but had a gilt-edged chance to equalise when referee Stuart Attwell awarded them a penalty 12 minutes before half time.
Bernardo Silva was taken down by a sliding Tyrick Mitchell but in a surprise, City’s regular penalty-taker Haaland gave the ball to Marmoush. The January signing from Eintracht Frankfurt stuttered as he ran up to the ball, and Henderson sprang to his right to keep Marmoush’s spot-kick out.
His save was met by perhaps a bigger roar than Eze’s goal from the Palace fans, and the England goalkeeper was again the hero of the hour when he made a sharp diving save to keep out Jeremy Doku’s curling shot shortly after. The rebound fell for De Bruyne but, in keeping with City’s first 45, he blazed over the bar.
City continued to create chances early in the second half, but some last-gasp Palace defending kept them ahead, as both Doku and Bernardo Silva had shots blocked inside the box.
In a near-repeat of the first half, Palace then thought they had scored a second when a long throw from Chris Richards fell for Munoz. His first-time shot deflected off Ismaila Sarr, wrong-footed Ortega and fell perfectly for him to tap into an empty net. It felt like a decisive moment but, on review, VAR found Sarr to be offside and ruled it out.
City, sensing their moment, upped the tempo even further. Haaland blasted a volley over the bar, while De Bruyne slipped a pass through to an open Nico O’Reilly in the penalty area, but he delayed taking a shot and was quickly closed down.Just look at what it means ❤️#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/w4Eu3RMqAv
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 17, 2025
Substitute Claudio Echeverri also had a clear chance to equalise in the 83rd minute but shot straight at Henderson after another clever De Bruyne pass.
De Bruyne, playing in his last FA Cup Final for City ahead of an impending summer exit, had a late chance to score when a loose ball fell for him on the edge of the box. But instead of smashing the ball into the corner, like he has so often done, he skewed his shot marginally wide of the post.
He looked on in despair, perhaps realising it simply was not his day. Instead, it was Palace’s day – and one they will remember forever.
