FA Cup final player ratings: Semenyo and Guehi shine in Man City win

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FA Cup final player ratings: Semenyo and Guehi shine in Man City win

FA Cup final player ratings: Semenyo and Guehi shine in Man City win

Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi shone for Manchester City in a tense 1-0 FA Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley.

FA Cup final player ratings: Semenyo and Guehi shine in Man City win

Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi shone for Manchester City in a tense 1-0 FA Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley.

In a gripping FA Cup final at Wembley, Manchester City edged past Chelsea 1-0 to add the trophy to their Carabao Cup success, handing Pep Guardiola his 20th major title. While the scoreline suggests a tight affair, individual performances—particularly from Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi—lit up the occasion.

Antoine Semenyo was the match-winner, producing a brilliant second-half flick that proved decisive. His creativity and movement down the right flank caused constant problems for Chelsea's defense, and his moment of magic will be remembered as the highlight of the final. Marc Guehi, meanwhile, was a rock at the back for City, showcasing composure and defensive intelligence that kept Chelsea's attackers at bay.

For Chelsea, it was a day of frustration despite a dogged display. Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, wearing a skull cap after a recent head injury, made several smart saves to deny Erling Haaland, Matheus Nunes, and Rayan Cherki, but was powerless to stop Semenyo's goal. The Blues struggled to create clear-cut chances, with their wing-back failing to provide the necessary service from the right in Calum McFarlane's five-at-the-back system.

One bright spot for Chelsea was the performance of their midfield orchestrator, whose distribution was key to advancing the ball upfield. Making only his second start since returning from an ACL injury, he showed no signs of rust and delivered line-breaking passes that had Thomas Tuchel watching intently from the stands—perhaps with an England recall in mind.

Defensively, Chelsea's left-sided center-back had plenty to do, often stepping into midfield, but did little wrong overall. The goal came from a moment of individual brilliance rather than a systemic failure. His counterpart on the right, replaced by Pedro Neto after 74 minutes, had a good battle with Semenyo but was caught out when Haaland drifted into the channel to set up the opener.

In midfield, Chelsea's engine room had its work cut out against Rodri and Bernardo Silva, with Mateo Kovacic later joining the fray. One nearly scored from a corner, only for Rodri to clear his header off the line. Meanwhile, Chelsea's star man—who has endured an inconsistent season—was largely anonymous against his former side, showing only fleeting touches before fading from the game.

A wonderful scissor pass from a Chelsea midfielder set up Joao Pedro for a first-half chance, only for the striker to slip when shooting. A meaty challenge on Silva earned a booking, and the player was fortunate his follow-through didn't cause more damage. Despite their efforts, Chelsea couldn't find a way through a well-organized City defense, leaving Guardiola's men to lift the famous old trophy once again.

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