Ilkay Gundogan scored twice to help Manchester City defeat Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley, keeping them on track for the Treble.
City now has the chance to repeat United’s 1999 accomplishment in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul, having already won the Premier League title.
With the fastest goal in FA Cup final history—a magnificent volley after only 12 seconds—City captain Gundogan ensured his place in history and surpassed Louis Saha’s goal for Everton against Chelsea in 2009, which came after 25 seconds.
When the video assistant referee determined that Jack Grealish had handled the ball after 33 minutes, Manchester United scored an equalizer. Bruno Fernandes calmly sent Stefan Ortega the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Six minutes after the half, Gundogan, as he frequently does, made the difference by volleying Kevin de Bruyne’s free-kick past United goalkeeper David de Gea to give City the FA Cup for the eighth time.
Watch Man City’s FA Cup victory in real time.
Man City is poised for success.
The best season in Manchester City’s history is only 90 minutes away.
Once the league and FA Cup have been won, the opportunity to win the Champions League versus Inter Milan will present itself.
If they are successful, they will be only the second English team to win the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in the same season.
Guardiola makes light of Gundogan’s stunning goal by telling Lineker, “It was manager’s genius.”
United, who successfully stopped City’s bid 24 years ago, tried their best to block it, but the league champions had too much power and a player in Gundogan who thrives under pressure.
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His two goals, especially that incredible early goal, highlighted what a significant figure he had grown into and guaranteed him a particular position in the history of City’s heyday.
And in John Stones, City have a player of the highest caliber performing in the most recent position assigned to him by Guardiola, one that enables him to move into midfield and make the most of all his talent and poise.
Next up for City are games against Istanbul and Inter Milan, and given their present unrelenting, unstoppable form, it would come as more of a surprise if they did not win the Treble than if they did.
Man Utd is improving; the next phase is ahead.
Despite the harsh disappointment of losing to their neighbors in the cup final, Manchester United’s season must still be seen as a step forward under Erik ten Hag.
United’s first title in six years was the Carabao Cup, and they also qualified for the Champions League again. After losing to Brighton at home to start the season and then getting destroyed 4-0 at Brentford, they may have been content with that.
To advance United in his second season as manager, Ten Hag will now require more additions and upgrades.
Mason Mount, an English midfielder for Chelsea, is a target for United, who also have a pressing need for a top-line striker with Harry Kane of Tottenham frequently mentioned as a possibility.
Man United conceded cheap goals in the FA Cup final. Ten Hag
After yet another subpar performance here that created more concerns, Ten Hag also needs to determine whether David de Gea should be his first-choice goalkeeper for the upcoming season.
De Gea was immobile for Gundogan’s opening goal and collapsed helplessly slowly for the second, reacting slowly to a volley that bounced twice in front of the Spaniard before the goalkeeper finally got a hand on it.
Harry Maguire, the captain, will undoubtedly be on the move because Ten Hag has marginalized him and will see this season as the opportunity to get United closer to where he wants them to be.
Although it has been a fantastic season, a busy summer will come after it.
