Palace Shock the World: FA Cup Glory at Last

Wembley Stadium, 17 May 2025 – Crystal Palace etched their name into English football folklore with a heroic 1-0 win over Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup Final, securing their first-ever major trophy in the club’s 119-year history. The only goal of the game came in the 16th minute, when Eberechi Eze met Daniel Munoz’s low cross with a crisp volley to send the Palace faithful into ecstasy. That strike—scored from just 0.09 xG—would prove to be the winner in a match where Palace had to withstand relentless pressure from Pep Guardiola’s star-studded City side. Dean Henderson, however, was the true foundation of Palace’s fairytale. The Eagles' goalkeeper delivered a world-class performance, saving Omar Marmoush’s penalty in the first half and denying a barrage of City efforts throughout the match—from Haaland and Doku to Echeverri and De Bruyne. City threw everything forward in the second half. Doku came closest to leveling the score in the 100th minute, but his effort rolled agonizingly wide. Palace fans roared with the final whistle, drowning out the disappointment of the blue side of Manchester, who lose back-to-back FA Cup finals. This result marks a seismic moment for south London football. Palace, long the underdogs, now soar as FA Cup champions, writing a new chapter filled with pride, belief, and long-overdue silverware.