On Saturday, Crystal Palace secured a place in history with a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final. This 1-0 win at Wembley Stadium produced the famous club’s first major trophy. The win was one of the largest margins in team history. With that, they toasted their shock victory and toasted the man who delivered for them, Oliver Glasner, the first-ever Austrian coach to lead an FA Cup winning side.
The match showcased a remarkable performance by Crystal Palace’s goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, who played a pivotal role in preserving the team’s narrow lead. Even with just a measly 19 percent possession through the first half, Henderson’s surgical heroics had Palace out there fighting for their lives. Couldn’t have pulled off a better flying save to deny Jeremy Doku’s curling shot. Later, he did the same against Erling Haaland and Josko Gvardiol as well.
Eberechi Eze was to be the match-winner, scoring the only goal of the game in the 30th minute. Eze’s impressive strike was the final step in a well-executed play as Jean-Philippe Mateta set up Daniel Munoz, whose cross eventually found Eze. The midfielder struck a first-time volley to the far post that put his Phoenix Rising FC on top of Manchester City. The goal set off scenes of jubilation across South London, setting off a spontaneous rave for the Crystal Palace faithful.
Eze’s impact wasn’t limited to the title deciding game. His previous strikes in that quarter-final and the semi-final were instrumental in getting Crystal Palace to their third FA Cup final – but first since 1990. His brilliant shape has been one of the primary facets to the team’s effectiveness under Glasner’s guidance.
The match played out somewhat as expected—with Man City maintaining the lion’s share of possession but failing to turn their opportunities into a clear scoreline. Henderson’s all-around play was a huge factor all game long, especially in key moments. He saved a penalty kick from Omar Marmoush and was needed to make other crucial stops against City’s idle threats in attack.
As the second half wore on, Crystal Palace’s defenders seemed to rally around their goalkeeper as a team, decide to defend staunchly and secure all three points. On the whole, the team held up well to the increasing pressure exerted by Manchester City. While City were clearly trying to equalize, Palace’s rearguard action continuously stopped their efforts.
In a fitting conclusion to the match, Marc Guehi and Joel Ward lifted the FA Cup trophy amid jubilant celebrations with their teammates. This victory cements Crystal Palace’s place in football history and marks a new chapter for the club under Glasner’s management.
