FA Cup
Chelsea
May 16, 2026 3.00pm
0
1
HT : 0 0
FT Wembley Stadium
Man City
  • Pedro Neto  74' yellowcard
  • Liam Delap 83' yellowcard
  • Alejandro Garnacho 86' yellowcard
  • yellowcard Rayan Cherki 46'
  • yellowcard Mateo Kovacic  65'
  • goal Antoine Semenyo 72'

Chelsea 0-1 Man City: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Antoine Semenyo nets stunner to seal FA Cup glory and domestic cup double

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Semenyo stunner seals Man City FA Cup triumph, leaving Chelsea’s European hopes in tatters
© Imago / IPS

Manchester City have won a domestic cup double after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The EFL Cup champions, who beat Arsenal under the famous arch in March, lacked creativity in the opening 45 without either Rayan Cherki or Phil Foden in their starting lineup, while Calum McFarlane’s Chelsea were disciplined and well-organised, stifling the Citizens with a five-at-the-back system.

Momentum and confidence was certainly with Chelsea at the start of the second half, but it was Man City who eventually broke the deadlock courtesy of a stunning backheel finish from Antoine Semenyo, who made amends for heading over a golden opportunity less than two minutes after the restart.

The tight contest opened up in the closing stages as Chelsea, who had multiple penalty appeals waved away during the second half, pushed for an equaliser. However, the Blues ultimately lacked a clinical touch in the final third, allowing Pep Guardiola’s side to hold on for a slender win.

Victory for Man City marks their eighth FA Cup triumph and moves them level with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham into joint-third on the all-time list, while it is also Guardiola’s third FA Cup success and his first since the club’s treble-winning campaign in 2022-23.

As for Chelsea, they have now lost each of their last four FA Cup finals and their hopes of securing European football for next season have suffered a major blow, with a strong Premier League finish and results elsewhere required to sneak into the top seven.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

© Imago / Propaganda Photo

Man City did not perform at their best on the big stage, but they grinded out the victory like true champions and have become just the seventh team to complete an FA Cup and EFL Cup double – a feat the Citizens previously achieved in 2018-19.

Semenyo will rightly grab the headlines for his brilliant match-winning finish, cementing his status as one of the signings of the season. The attacker has made an instant impact at City since his January arrival from Bournemouth, netting 10 goals for the Citizens including three crucial FA Cup strikes en route to lifting his first major trophy.

Guardiola’s side have made themselves difficult to beat for quite some time, losing just once in their last 34 domestic matches since November, while they have extended their impressive unbeaten run against Chelsea to 14 games in all competitions (W11 D3).

FA Cup glory is special for every member of Man City’s squad, particularly for the younger players and the club’s newest recruits who are tasting success for the first time this season. Outgoing club legends Bernardo Silva and John Stones, meanwhile, are celebrating their 20th piece of silverware - and potentially their last - in Sky Blue before leaving this summer.

A domestic treble remains mathematically possible for Guardiola’s side, though, as they continue to breathe down Arsenal’s necks in the Premier League title race. City will be praying that Burnley can pull off an almighty upset at the Emirates on Monday before the Citizens travel to Bournemouth a day later for their must-win match.

As for Chelsea, defeat represents their 20th in all competitions this season and is devastating in more ways than one. Not only have they extended their dismal run of domestic cup final defeats to seven (four in the FA Cup, three in the EFL Cup), but their failure to secure the FA Cup trophy means a guaranteed spot in next season's Europa League has officially slipped through their fingers.

Chelsea languish in ninth place in the top-flight table, four points behind seventh, and they will now head into their remaining two fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland under immense pressure, with European qualification now out of their hands.

The West Londoners have posted just one win in 12 matches across all competitions, and with no cup glory to salvage an otherwise unsatisfactory domestic campaign, they face the grim prospect of no European football next season and the financial ramifications that come with it.

CHELSEA VS. MAN CITY HIGHLIGHTS

Antoine Semenyo goal vs. Chelsea (72nd min, Chelsea 0-1 Man City)

A touch of class from Semenyo!

Bernardo Silva slips Erling Haaland into the right side of the penalty area. The Norwegian immediately cuts it back to Semenyo, who instinctively produces a cute backheel finish that spins into the far corner to break the deadlock.

MAN OF THE MATCH - ANTOINE SEMENYO

© Imago / Sportimage

There was arguably no standout performer in a tense FA Cup final with few clear-cut opportunities, but Antoine Semenyo was the difference-maker, producing the only real moment of quality with his brilliant, improvised finish.

The 26-year-old posed the greatest threat for Man City in attack, recording five shots which was more than all of his teammates combined (three), while he also won three ground duels, two aerial duels and completed over 75% of his passes at Wembley.

CHELSEA VS. MAN CITY MATCH STATS

Possession: Chelsea 44%-56% Man City

Shots: Chelsea 7-9 Man City

Shots on target: Chelsea 1-4 Man City

Corners: Chelsea 4-4 Man City

Fouls: Chelsea 15-13 Man City

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Man City will swiftly turn their attention back to the Premier League title race as they prepare for a must-win match against high-flying Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium next Tuesday.

As for Chelsea, they are also next in action on Tuesday when they welcome relegation-threatened London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to Stamford Bridge for their final home fixture of the season.

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