Crystal Palace Vs Man City, FA Cup Final Highlights: Eagles End 119-Year Wait, Claim First Major Trophy With 1-0 Win Over Cityzens

We’re back with another live blog, and it’s football time. Crystal Palace vs Manchester City, FA Cup Final. Kick-off at 9:00 PM IST. Stay tuned for live updates and scores.

The FA Cup Final between Crystal Palace and Manchester City will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network, with live streaming available on the SonyLIV app.

Total Matches Played: 73

Crystal Palace: 17

Drawn: 17

Manchester City: 39

For Pep Guardiola and his players, the 2024–25 season has been nothing short of dismal. Manchester City have struggled across competitions, failing to put up a real fight in either the Premier League or the Champions League, a sharp contrast to the high standards they’ve set in recent years.

Their form nosedived midway through the season, with 15 losses in just 30 games over a four-month stretch. It was a shocking slide for a club of City’s stature. An injury crisis only deepened their woes, and a run of four straight defeats before the final international break marked their worst losing streak since 2006, when Stuart Pearce was in charge.

Though the mood has lifted slightly in recent weeks, the campaign has left fans with little to cheer. A win in the FA Cup won’t rewrite the story of the season, but it could offer a much-needed sense of redemption, a final chance to salvage pride in a year to forget.

The referee blows the whistle and the FA Cup Final is underway at Wembley. Crystal Palace take the field in their classic red-and-blue stripes, while Manchester City are in light blue and white. It’s all square in the opening minute, Crystal Palace 0-0 Manchester City.

Manchester City have dominated possession in the early exchanges, but without much end product, until now. Kevin De Bruyne picks his moment, floating a perfectly measured ball to the far post.

Erling Haaland rises to meet it, powering a header on target, but Dean Henderson reacts brilliantly, throwing out a strong hand to keep it out. A top-class save to keep Palace level.

Crystal Palace launch their first real counter-attack with intent. Jean-Philippe Mateta finds himself one-on-one with Manuel Akanji, but his first touch lets him down.

Akanji stays composed, reads it well, and calmly plays the ball back to goalkeeper Stefan Ortega to defuse the threat. A promising moment for the Eagles, but no end result.

And Boom, GOALL Alert!

Crystal Palace catch Manchester City off guard and take the lead, 1-0. The move was pure magic, with Kamada and Mateta dancing through the defense before Munoz delivers a perfect low cross from the right.

Eberechi Eze doesn’t miss a beat, smashing a sharp shot from 15 yards straight into the net. Palace fans are buzzing, and City have some serious catching up to do.

VAR reviewed Dean Henderson’s handball just outside the box but decided against a red card, ruling it wasn’t a clear goalscoring opportunity for Erling Haaland. The decision is contentious, with valid points on both sides. However, City fans are unlikely to accept it easily, as the incident appeared to many as a clear red card offense.

CRY 1-0 MCI

Tyrick Mitchell’s reckless slide straight into his opponent’s feet earns a penalty for Manchester City. Referee Stuart Attwell blows the whistle but opts not to show a card this time. It’s a golden chance for City to level the score.

CRY 1-0 MCI

Marmoush steps up for the penalty after taking the ball from Haaland. The Egyptian striker fires a powerful right-footed shot low towards the bottom left corner, but Dean Henderson reacts superbly, diving to make a stunning save.

Haaland rushes in to tap the rebound into the net, only for Henderson to block him again, keeping Palace’s lead intact. A crucial double save that keeps the Eagles ahead.

CRY 1-0 MCI

Doku lets fly with a curling effort that seemed to be heading straight for the top corner, but Dean Henderson is equal to it. The Palace keeper springs to his left and gets a firm hand on the ball, pushing it away from danger. The Eagles owe plenty to their No.1, he's been a wall between the posts so far.

CRY 1-0 MCI

The fourth official signals a minimum of three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half.

CRY 1-0 MCI

Palace take a surprise lead into half-time thanks to Eze’s superb finish on the counter. Cityzens saw more of the ball but couldn’t make it count, Marmoush missed a penalty, and Henderson pulled off multiple saves to keep the Eagles ahead.

Crystal Palace lead 1-0 through Eze’s strike, just 45 minutes away from a historic first major trophy. Cityzens need a response.

Doku finds space on the left, takes a sharp touch inside the box, and tries to curl one into the top corner with his right foot, but the effort sails high over the bar. A let-off for Palace, and City remain trailing.

Play halts as Marc Guehi takes a hit to the face and appears visibly uncomfortable, blinking rapidly while medics attend to him. Commentary speculates it might be a contact lens issue.

A moment of déjà vu for seasoned FA Cup followers, the kind of scenario that always brings back memories of Jim Leighton’s infamous final day misfortune, especially with Palace involved.

Crystal Palace have stunned everyone by doubling their advantage. Munoz is the hero this time, sneaking in at the near post to slot a quick tap-in past the goalkeeper. The Eagles are flying higher and closer to glory.

Munoz’s goal has been chalked off after officials ruled that Sarr was offside in the buildup. The initial shot took a deflection off Sarr’s body before falling to Munoz, who quickly scored on the rebound. However, the offside infringement means the goal won’t stand, much to the relief of the Cityzens.

Crystal Palace bring on Lerma for Guehi, marking their first substitution of the match.

Meanwhile, tempers flare on the sidelines as a scuffle erupts between the backroom staff of both teams, though the exact cause remains unclear.

Nico O'Reilly picked up a yellow card for a reckless challenge and will need to tread carefully for the remainder of the match to avoid a second booking that could see him sent off.

Oliver Glasner opts to inject energy into the game, bringing Eddie Nketiah on for Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Both Kevin De Bruyne and Ruben Dias have received yellow cards as tensions rise late in the game.

The referee signals a lengthy ten minutes of added time. The match now hinges on these crucial final moments.

Can the Eagles hold on to their slim lead and deny the relentless Man City attack?

Palace’s defense shows signs of fatigue. A cross is cleared but falls to De Bruyne at the edge of the box. He controls the ball and fires a bouncing shot that whistles just wide of the right-hand post, with Henderson well-positioned to make the save if needed.

Henderson comes up huge for Palace, making a brilliant save as the tension spikes. Doku’s low cross is only half-cleared at the near post, and Echeverri quickly pounces, firing a shot that Henderson smartly stops with a dive to his left. Palace manage to clear the ball, though only for a moment.

Almost immediately, City players shout for a handball and a penalty after Echeverri’s shot bounces off a Palace defender. The drama is reaching a fever pitch, with Echeverri causing chaos right in front of goal.

The full-time whistle blows, and Crystal Palace have secured a historic 1-0 victory over Manchester City to win the 2024-25 FA Cup. This marks the Eagles’ first-ever major trophy in their 119-year history, a monumental moment for the club.

Eze’s decisive first-half goal proved to be the difference, guiding Palace to glory on the Wembley stage. For Manchester City, it caps a dreadful season filled with disappointments, leaving fans dreading what lies ahead.

Manchester City’s players make their way to the Royal Box to receive their runners-up medals. It’s the first time since the 2016-17 season that City have ended a campaign without lifting any silverware.

The question now looms large, can they still secure a top-five finish to qualify for next season’s Champions League? It’s a tough, sad day for the Cityzens as they face an uncertain future.

Crystal Palace have clinched their first-ever major trophy, marking a landmark moment in the club’s long history. They are the first English side to win their maiden major honour since Wigan Athletic in the 2012-13 FA Cup, a final in which they also stunned Manchester City.

For City, it's another bitter blow. They have now lost the FA Cup final in back-to-back years, last season to Manchester United and now to Palace. It’s their seventh time finishing as runners-up in the competition, with only Manchester United (9), Chelsea (8), and Everton (8) suffering more final defeats.

That’s a wrap. Catch you next time with another live blog. Until then, take care and bye bye.