Gundogan’s brace helps City clinch seventh FA Cup title

Pep Guardiola’s side defeated Man United 2-1 in a thrilling final, now eye season treble

LONDON: Ilkay Gundogan scored a brace to help Manchester City score a 2-1 win over Manchester United in the final of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. It was City’s seventh FA Cup title.

The triumph on Saturday leaves City just one game away from completing the treble, with the UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan on June 11 set to be their final mission.

The victory over United meant City have extended the record for the longest time between a club’s first FA Cup win and most recent – 119 years - with our first success in the competition coming back in 1904.

Gundogan sensationally volleyed City into the lead after just 12 seconds, breaking the previous record of Louis Saha’s 25-second goal in the 2009 FA Cup final. United were on the verge of freezing on the big stage during City’s dominating beginning, but they stayed in the game and equalised when Jack Grealish was penalised for handball after blocking an Aaron Wan-Bissaka pass, which was seen by VAR.

Bruno Fernandes finished the job from the spot to level the scores in the 33rd minute.

City got back their lead again when Kevin De Bruyne found Gundogan on the outside of the box and he controlled his second volleyed finish of the game past David de Gea, who was caught off guard.

An offside flag prevented Gundogan a hat-trick, and United attacked again in stoppage time, but an epic scramble ended with Raphael Varane’s strike hitting the top of the crossbar.

Pep Guardiola’s club will now meet Inter Milan in the Champions League final next Saturday with a chance to become only the second team, after Manchester United in 1999, to win the Premier League, FA Cup, and European Cup all in the same season.

Many supporters were still settling in after the pre-match commotion of pyrotechnics, flags, and flares when Gundogan delivered a classic FA Cup moment.

Erling Haaland won a long ball blasted forward, and Gundogan pounced on the loose ball from 25 yards out, delivering an incredible volley reminiscent of Zinedine Zidane’s legendary Champions League final goal at Hampden Park.

United almost succumbed to the constant City assault, but Haaland curled an attempt wide after giving Varane the runaround, and De Bruyne followed suit with an effort from range.

There was little reason to expect a United reaction, but it arrived in the form of a penalty, given for a handball by Grealish as he attempted to stop a cross with his arm in an unnatural decision. After a sluggish run-up, Fernandes obliged from the spot. During the celebrations, Victor Lindelof seemed to be hit by an item from the crowd.

After the interval, City stayed completely focused on the task at hand, retaining the ball with their typical certainty and excellence. The goal came on 51 minutes, courtesy of a guy who is built for big moments. Gundogan met De Bruyne’s free-kick with just enough power to drive a low, cutting shot past a crowd and beyond De Gea’s grasp.

Despite seeing little of the ball, United made the most of their restricted area, with the lively Alejandro Garnacho adding spark to their assaults. With a curling attempt from 20 yards, he was inches away from tying it up, while Marcus Rashford sent a fizzing drive just wide. There was one more chance for drama in stoppage time, but Varane’s looping header inside the six-yard box hit the crossbar and Scott McTominay couldn’t clear the loose ball.

We can talk about the treble now: Guardiola

Following his side’s FA Cup title win, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said that talks about treble can finally pick up now following their second title of the season.

“We can now talk about the treble. Of course, we still have to win the Champions League. We performed so well for our city and our fans. They follow man to man so tight and we didn’t expect them to defend so narrow.

“We found more spaces in the second half,” said Guardiola as quoted by FA Cup’s official website.

“Tomorrow and the next day they can have off. We have then got three or four sessions to train for Inter Milan. We will travel on Thursday morning after training. It was so important for us today. The FA Cup is so nice,” added the City boss.