Erling Haaland finally ends unwanted finals record after 10 appearances as Manchester City overcomes Chelsea to lift 2025-26 FA Cup

Manchester City lifted the FA Cup after a tense 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, with Erling Haaland playing a decisive role in a match that carried far more significance than just another trophy. The final delivered drama, tactical battles, and a breakthrough moment for the Norwegian striker, whose afternoon in London finally saw a frustrating personal streak come to an end.

For Manchester City, the victory secured an eighth FA Cup title and completed a domestic cup double following the club’s earlier Carabao Cup success. Chelsea, meanwhile, once again left Wembley empty-handed after another painful defeat in a major final.

The match opened with Manchester City dominating possession and forcing the Blues deep into their own half. Pep Guardiola’s side pressed aggressively from the opening whistle, with Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku, and Omar Marmoush all finding dangerous spaces around the edge of the penalty area.

Chelsea struggled to settle early on and relied heavily on defensive interventions from Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, and Moises Caicedo to survive the pressure. The London side attempted to threaten through counterattacks led by João Pedro and Cole Palmer, but City’s defensive structure remained composed throughout the first half.

An early breakthrough almost arrived in the 27th minute when Haaland turned home a low delivery from Matheus Nunes. However, celebrations were cut short after the assistant referee flagged for offside, denying the striker what initially looked like the opening goal. Despite the disappointment, City continued to dictate the rhythm of the contest and repeatedly pushed Chelsea backward with quick combinations and movement in the final third.

The moment Haaland finally ended his negative streak

As the game moved into the second half, Guardiola introduced fresh attacking energy, with Rayan Cherki helping increase the tempo around Chelsea’s penalty area. The pressure finally paid off in the 72nd minute when Haaland delivered the decisive contribution of the afternoon.

The Norwegian forward collected possession inside the box before cutting the ball back toward Antoine Semenyo, who produced a clever backheel finish past Robert Sanchez. That assist marked Haaland’s first goal contribution in a final for Manchester City after 10 appearances, ESPN confirms.

The moment instantly ended months of discussion surrounding Haaland’s performances in major finals. While the striker had scored regularly across league and European competitions, he had previously failed to directly contribute to a goal in Wembley showpieces and other finals for City.

Semenyo delivers the decisive blow

Semenyo’s finish immediately became one of the defining images of the final. The Ghana international reacted brilliantly under pressure from Chelsea defenders and guided the ball beyond Sánchez with a sharp flick that sent the Citizens’ supporters behind the goal into celebration.

The goal secured Manchester City’s first FA Cup triumph since 2023 and added another trophy to Guardiola’s remarkable spell in charge. City has now won multiple domestic honors again this season and continues to build one of the most dominant eras in English soccer.