Antoine Semenyo’s moment of magic lights up gloomy Wembley – but more doom on the horizon for Chelsea as European hopes fade ahead of Xabi Alonso appointment: Winners and losers from Man City’s FA Cup final victory
This will be remembered as the ‘Semenyo Final’ among the City fanbase, and for good reason. The match had been crying out for a moment of quality and a winning strike from either side as the clock ticked down towards extra-time, with Chelsea actually on the front foot at the time.
It was Semenyo who delivered – and then some. Ironically, he could have been lining up for the opposition, as the Blues considered signing him in 2019 when he was a Bristol City player.
Having headed over from a glaring opportunity early in the second half, Semenyo redeemed himself by producing a wonderfully deft flick to divert Haaland’s intelligent cut-back beyond Robert Sanchez’s despairing dive, pirouetting and back-heeling it into the bottom corner to spark ecstasy in the away end.
It’s a moment that caps a fine individual season for the 26-year-old that spans his time with both Bournemouth and City and has culminated in him already winning two trophies since joining the Sky Blues in January, hitting the 20-goal mark to boot.
