Sports

Crystal Palace stun Man City to win FA Cup

Published

1 year ago

May 17, 2025

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Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City on Saturday to win the FA Cup for the first time as Eberechi Eze sealed a 1-0 victory that piled on the misery for Pep Guardiola’s troubled side.

Eze’s early strike rocked City before Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson saved Omar Marmoush’s penalty late in the first half of a dramatic final at Wembley.

While Eze’s clinical finish was the culmination of his remarkable rise from rejection by Arsenal, Fulham and Millwall as a youngster, it was Henderson who emerged as Palace’s hero with a series of superb saves.

City will protest that Henderson should have been sent off for a first-half handball outside his penalty area.

But Henderson made the most of that controversial moment to ensure Palace clinched the first major trophy in their 120-year history and a place in next season’s Europa League.

Eberechi Eze

Beaten by Manchester United in their previous FA Cup final appearances in 1990 and 2016, Palace’s shock win was no more than they deserved as City once again imploded in a dismal season that will be their first without major silverware since 2016-17.

After winning the Premier League in the previous four seasons, City have endured a turbulent campaign that ranks among the worst in Guardiola’s storied managerial career.

Currently sixth in the Premier League, City host Bournemouth on Tuesday and travel to Fulham on May 25 as they try to salvage their wretched year by at least qualifying for the Champions League.

Guardiola had questioned his players’ hunger as they failed to keep pace with Liverpool in the title race and crashed out of the Champions League.

While desire might not have been an issue against Palace, City’s lack of direction in their second successive FA Cup final defeat was an alarming sign for the future as Guardiola was out-witted by Eagles boss Oliver Glasner.

Not for the first time, Guardiola sprang a surprise with his selection for a final as he picked an ultra-attacking line-up with no holding midfielder.

Guardiola gamble backfires
However, Guardiola’s habit of tinkering with his tactics for finals has backfired in the past.

Asked about City’s line-up just before kick-off, Guardiola said he was putting his faith in “talent”, but Glasner had spotted an opening, saying: “When you have so many attacking players it could give you an opportunity in transitions.”

Erling Haaland nearly gave City the perfect start when he stretched to meet Kevin De Bruyne’s cross with a volley that forced a scrambled save from Henderson.

Josko Gvardiol’s towering header from Savinho’s corner was smartly repelled by Henderson.

But Glasne

r’s clever decision to set up Palace deep inside their own half had lured City in for the sucker punch.

Eze delivered the knockout blow from Palace’s first attack in the 16th minute as Glasner’s men launched a brilliant break from their penalty area.

Jean-Philippe Mateta held up Chris Richards’ long pass and laid it off to Daniel Munoz, who surged down the right flank before crossing towards Eze, who guided a superb volley past Stefan Ortega from 12 yards.

City were furious when Henderson escaped a red card when VAR checked his handball, which appeared to take place outside the area, after the ‘keeper rushed out to challenge Haaland.

VAR said it was “not an obvious goal-scoring opportunity” but it proved crucial as Henderson rescued Palace in the 35th minute.

Tyrick Mitchell conceded the penalty with a needless foul on Bernardo Silva as the City midfielder ran away from goal.

Instead of Haaland taking the spot-kick, it was Marmoush who stepped up after the Norway star gave him the ball in a disastrous move as Henderson plunged to his right to keep out the Egyptian’s strike.

Henderson was in inspired form and he denied City again, clawing away a Jeremy Doku strike that appeared destined for the top corner.

Defending tirelessly, Palace were indebted to Henderson, who made two more brilliant saves from Claudio Echeverri to cap a chastening afternoon for Guardiola.

AFP

Related Topics:Crystal Palace FA CUP MAN CITY

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Arsenal win EPL title after 22 years

Published

2 weeks ago

May 19, 2026

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Arsenal are English Premier League (EPL) champions after Manchester City failed to win at Bournemouth.

Pep Guardiola’s Man City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium to hand Arsenal an unassailable four-point lead with just one match remaining to the end of the season.

The Gunners win the EPL title for the first time in 22 years, since the legendary Invincible side won it in the 2003/04 season.

In the club’s 100th season without relegation from the EPL, the club will celebrate its centenary participation with a league title won on the back of a record 28 EPL wins that surpassed the 26 wins recorded by the Invincibles. The defence prevented opponents from registering a shot on target in six matches, equaling a 23-year league record, and also scored a record 17 goals from corner kicks.

Mikel Arteta’s tough side has led the table for most of the season before a late mini-collapse, and Man City’s late surge in form nearly threatened their title ambition for a second season in a row.

City’s late resurgence, however, was initially stunned by Everton in early May and completely collapsed against Bournemouth.

Guardiola’s side visited the Vitality Stadium aware that any result other than a victory would seal Arsenal’s title. But they lacked the execution for the mission after falling to a wonderful strike from Junior Kroupi in the first half.

City were only kept in the game by Bournemouth’s profligacy in front of goal. When Erling Haaland’s equaliser was squeezed home in the eleventh hour of the game, even the most faithful City supporter knew it was too little, too late.

Arsenal and Arteta secured the league earlier than they would have predicted, giving City a prodigious title run-in.

The league triumph is Arteta’s second major title with the North London club since joining in December 2019, adding to the English FA Cup trophy won within six months of his tenure in May 2020.

The 44-year-old Spaniard wins his fourth title overall and can win his fifth — and third major trophy — with victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final next weekend.

Sports

WrestleMania 42: Nigerian wrestler Oba Femi beats 10-time WWE Champion Brock Lesnar

Published

2 months ago

April 20, 2026

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Nigerian professional wrestler, Isaac Odugbesan, popularly known as Oba Femi, defeated 10-time WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar, on his WrestleMania debut on Sunday.

The clash, one of the headline matches at WrestleMania 42, ended on a dramatic note as the 27-year-old Nigerian overpowered the veteran.

Lesnar left his wrestling gear in the ring after the match — a gesture widely regarded in professional wrestling as a sign of retirement.

Oba Femi, also known as “The Ruler,” is a former NXT champion and has spent just three months on WWE’s main roster.

The contest began with both wrestlers testing each other’s strength before Lesnar briefly seized control with a series of offensive moves.

However, Femi absorbed the pressure and responded with a dominant display, shifting momentum in his favour.

Lesnar delivered an F5, but Femi quickly recovered, hitting a chokeslam before finishing the contest with his “Fall From Grace” sit-out powerbomb for the pinfall victory.

The bout quickly became a major talking point on social media, with fans reacting to the upset win.

Femi, a former shot put athlete, is a two-time NXT Champion and a one-time NXT North American Champion.

Born in Lagos, Odugbesan competed in track and field during his school years before signing with WWE in 2021 through its NIL programme.

He went on to win the 2023 NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament and the 2024 Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge.

During the WrestleMania Sunday post-show, Femi sent a message to Roman Reigns, popularly known as the “Original Tribal Chief,” drawing a loud reaction from fans as he hinted at a possible title challenge before the end of the year.

Sports

BREAKING: CAF overturns Afcon final result, declares Morocco winner

Published

3 months ago

March 17, 2026

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The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has overturned the result of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals and declare MOROCCO the winner of the title.

Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the final on 18 January in a match which was overshadowed when the Senegalese players refused to play after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the match goalless.

Following a delay of around 17 minutes, the players did eventually return and Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved before Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored an extra-time winner.

However, that result has now been overturned by CAF.

A statement by the African Football’s Governing Body said that Senegal are “declared to have forfeited the final match” with the “result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour” of Morocco.