Guardiola Leads Manchester City to Historic FA Cup Victory

On May 16, 2026, Manchester City FC defeated Chelsea FC 1-0 to win the FA Cup for the eighth time in the club’s history. The triumph occurred at Wembley Stadium, with a decisive second-half goal from Antoine Semenyo marking the moment. This victory enabled Pep Guardiola’s side to lift the trophy for the first time since 2023 and secured a domestic cup double for City after they earlier won the EFL Cup this season.

From the outset, City dominated possession and crafted better chances in the first half. Antoine Semenyo notably had two efforts blocked, while Erling Haaland saw a goal ruled out for offside after converting a pass from Matheus Nunes. Chelsea struggled to generate clear scoring opportunities, although João Pedro posed a momentary threat before losing his balance during a shot attempt. Just before half-time, Haaland forced a significant save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, who responded sharply to deny the striker’s close-range effort.

Guardiola made tactical changes at the break, introducing Rayan Cherki as City sought a breakthrough. Meanwhile, Chelsea began to find their rhythm, bolstered by Moisés Caicedo and Reece James. The crucial moment arrived in the 72nd minute when Haaland’s cutback found Semenyo in the box; the Ghanaian forward executed an inventive flick that went into the far corner, igniting celebrations among City supporters.

This goal made Semenyo the first Ghanaian player to score in a men’s FA Cup final. Despite Chelsea's attempts to level the match, including a near miss from Enzo Fernández, City held firm to secure another prestigious trophy under Guardiola. This victory further solidified Guardiola’s impressive record in English football, marking him as the first manager to achieve the domestic cup double twice, a feat he previously accomplished in the 2018/19 season. With this latest win, Manchester City equaled Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea with eight FA Cup titles, placing them joint-third in the competition’s all-time winners list.