Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze sparked a massive south London party by scoring the only goal to win the FA Cup 1-0 against Manchester City last night and claim the club’s first major trophy in their history.
Local boy Eze volleyed in after 16 minutes, former Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson performed heroics in the Palace goal and City contrived to waste a sack-load of chances, including a penalty, in an enthralling final.
After England forward Eze — whose goals in the last eight and semifinals fired his team into the final for the third time — scored completely against the run of play, Palace had to survive a City siege to spark wild celebrations.
Omar Marmoush had a first-half penalty saved by Henderson, as City lost in the cup final for a second successive season, summing up a harrowing campaign in which they have been dethroned as the powerhouse of English football, and will go without a domestic trophy for the first time since 2016-17.
For Palace’s massed ranks decked in purple and blue, it was a day of unbridled joy as Oliver Glasner’s team rode their luck to make it third time lucky, after suffering defeats in their previous two FA Cup final appearances in 1990 and 2016.
Glasner, who took charge of the club 15 months ago, becomes the first Austrian coach to win the FA Cup.
Seven-time winners City went close numerous times after the break, with Henderson and his defenders performing heroics to preserve Palace'’s lead.
A huge groan went up from the Palace fans as 10 minutes of stoppage time was announced but after more close shaves and nail-biting, the final whistle sounded and the club’s anthem Glad All Over bellowed around the stadium. — Reuters
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