The Eagles displayed amazing heart and talent in taking home their initial major piece of silverware in 119 years. They followed this up by defeating Manchester City 2-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium. The match, which took place on a sunny afternoon, marked a significant moment for the south London club, who sought to avenge previous heartbreaks in the prestigious tournament.
The Eagles had made a strong start to the tie when Eberechi Eze snatched an opening goal for the visitors after just 16 minutes of play. His goal marked the beginning of an inspired performance that would quickly propel them to their breakthrough moment. Daniel Munoz quickly sprung into action, doubling Crystal Palace’s lead with a goal in the 58th minute. This second strike confirmed their newfound supremacy over the Premier League champions.
Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson had an absolutely monumental role in the victory. He was a colossal presence all night long, making big-time saves, including an incredible penalty save on the super-sub and MVP-candidate Erling Haaland. His performance didn’t just ensure his squad maintained their advantage – it ignited the fans present.
“No words, man. No words. I don’t know what to say. I can only thank god because this is… nah, no words.” – Eberechi Eze
Going into the event With Crystal Palace looking to create their own piece of history. The club sought to exorcise the demons of FA Cup final loss to Manchester United in 1990 and 2016. This time, the second highest bidder won and became a day of celebration for passionate players and Dreamland fans in larger numbers.
Match captains Marc Guehi and Joel Ward embraced the occasion with zeal. They took a handful of FA Cup winners trophies, bent them and raised them skyward—a savage move to recognize their victory and the club’s history. Yet, the jubilant atmosphere swirled all around these young fans. One especially animated fan even made his own tinfoil FA Cup to wave around in support.
Over the course of the game, Crystal Palace continued to stay focused under constant pressure from a high-flying Manchester City side. Munoz almost doubled their advantage soon after, his effort rattling just wide of the post. The Eagles’ defense bent mightily, but never broke in the face of overwhelming pressure.
Eze would later express gratitude for his team’s performance and for the spirit/energy being the #1 reason for their success.
“This is special. This is what dreams are made of, for me and this club. Who thought we could do it? We’ve made history today.” – Eberechi Eze
Along with all the work Eze provided up front, Henderson’s theatrics in goal earned him some deserved recognition. Still, he was thankful for the way that his team performed, all while recognizing the weight of the challenge presented by facing one of the nation’s best teams.
“To be honest I don’t care about any of that, I’m just glad we won.” – Eberechi Eze
Watch as Henderson reveals his nerves when the game went to VAR to check a possible penalty against his side. During that fraught period, he experienced an unexpected rush of empathy.
“Yeah I was concerned [when it went to VAR] because you don’t want to give these guys a chance; they‘re too good.” – Eberechi Eze
The victory is undoubtedly their greatest achievement in the Selhurst Park club’s long history. The path to get here has been paved by the tenacity and grit of so many. Today should be a day that all those inextricably linked to the club will remember fondly.
The results sent fans celebrating in ecstatic fashion all through Wembley and well into London. This victory will echo through history not simply for the cup, but for the heroes created on that remarkable day. This victory means Crystal Palace has earned their first ever trophy. They’ve gone beyond league history as well, engraving their name into FA Cup history!