Antoine Semenyo produced a moment of magic to settle a less than stellar FA Cup final between Manchester City and Chelsea with a classic goal under the Wembley arch.
A Slow Start
The FA Cup final remains a special day in the football calendar, even if it has lost some of the allure it once boasted. But in terms of the 2025-26 season's offering, the opening 45 minutes felt like a non-event. Chelsea and City traded tentative blows and you would probably be hard pressed to pick out a half-time talking point bar Enzo Fernandez's rash lunge on Bernardo Silva. It was pretty drab.
Semenyo Back to Haunt Blues
It has been some season for Semenyo, whose stellar form for Bournemouth manufactured a big mid-season move. He was effectively left with his pick of the Premier League's elite in January, including City and Chelsea. It was City Semenyo picked. And it was City who profited from the Ghana star's moment of genius on the biggest stage. If ever a big game needed a big moment, it was this one. And Semenyo, who has delivered the goods since joining City in January with some big goals, stepped up once again to clinch another trophy.
Haaland Turns Provider
It was almost an afternoon to forget for Manchester City's attack and Erling Haaland, who was subdued in the first half. So often, it is Haaland who comes up with the goods for City. But the imperious Norwegian striker turned provider on this occasion, his driving run and centre in the penalty area setting the stage for his strike partner's sublime flick. It is another Wembley outing without a goal for City's number nine. But he did play a pivotal role in the game's big moment.
Chelsea's Blue Season
It has been a rotten season for Chelsea, who could even record an unwanted bottom-half finish in the Premier League. Victory in the cup final for Callum MacFarlane, in his second spell as interim boss this season, would have only papered over the cracks which have been growing more evident by the week since Enzo Maresca's premiership ended abruptly mid-season. But in the end, it was not to be. Speculation was rife before the final that not only is Xabi Alonso the chosen candidate to lead Chelsea next season, but that the Spaniard could even be confirmed in the role before the weekend is out. Given the wealth of talent Chelsea boast, he will quietly fancy his chances of overseeing a far more successful campaign than this one.
Pep's Perfect Swansong?
He mischievously played down the talk that this will be his Manchester City swansong on the eve of Saturday's final. But if this does prove to be Pep Guardiola's final act at Wembley in English football, what a way to sign off. Speculation that Guardiola will choose to walk away after a decade of domestic dominance at the Etihad grows louder by the day. And while it now looks unlikely Guardiola and City will bag another Premier League title this season, he could now walk off into the sunset with a fifth FA Cup. Will that prove to be the case? He says no. We should find out one way or another in the coming weeks.
