Man City beats Chelsea in FA Cup final after audacious Antoine Semenyo goal

LONDON (AP) — In its 155-year history the FA Cup final can rarely have been won by a more audacious goal.

Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday thanks to a moment of magic from Antoine Semenyo.

The forward brought to life a final that had produced little in the way of chances or excitement with a spectacular back-heeled goal in the second half.

Running onto a cross from Erling Haaland in the 72nd minute, Semenyo flicked his heel at the ball and directed it low into the far corner past diving Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

“It has happened a couple of times in training, it happened perfectly today. ... It came straight to me and I had to improvise myself as quickly as I can," Semenyo told the BBC. “It is a good finish, I can’t lie."

Chelsea interim coach Calum McFarlane agreed.

“For me it’s a one in 100 goal, it’s a really low XG goal," he said. “For me, no, there’s not much more you can do to defend it.”

Victory kept City in the hunt for a domestic trophy treble, having already won the English League Cup. Pep Guardiola’s team is also second in the Premier League, two points behind Arsenal with two rounds to go.

This was Guardiola’s 17th major trophy in 10 years at City and his 35th in his career overall.

City has won the Cup eight times and moved level with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham as equal third on the all-time winners' list.

Defeat means Chelsea will end the season trophyless — a year after being crowned Club World Cup champion — in what has been a crisis-ridden campaign.

After firing two coaches since the turn of the year, Chelsea went into the final with a novice on the sideline in McFarlane, a former youth coach taking charge of only his seventh first team game.

The turmoil at Chelsea led to supporters staging a protest against its American owners outside the stadium before kickoff.

In that sense it was commendable that McFarlane was able to frustrate Guardiola for such long periods.

That was until Semenyo's match-winning moment.

The Ghana international joined City from Bournemouth only in January and made an immediate impact — scoring 10 goals and helping the team to two trophies.

“As a kid I have always wanted to be playing for the top teams. It took a long time to get there, but I am grateful,” Semenyo said. “The first thing he (Guardiola) said to me when I came was, ‘Don’t change your game’ ... he still wants me to be me, still create a bit of chaos."

After the final whistle City fans sang the club anthem “Blue Moon” loudly, and cheered wildly as Bernardo Silva and John Stones lifted the famous trophy. Both players are leaving at the end of the season.

“Being able to lift another trophy at Wembley, where we have played so many times, is such a special feeling, one I never take for granted,” Bernardo said. “To do so as captain makes this one of the best days of my career.”

Triumph for City came after back-to-back losses in the final in the previous two years. This was the record fourth year in a row it reached the final, having last won it in 2023.

Chelsea has lost its last four FA Cup finals, tying Leicester's record for consecutive losses.

Arsenal has won soccer's oldest knockout competition a record 14 times. Manchester United was second with 13.

Guardiola was congratulated by Prince William as he went to collect his winners' medal. Afterwards the City manager gazed around Wembley at the celebrating fans.

There has been growing speculation that this could be his final season at City; he has yet to confirm his plans.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester City players celebrate with the winner's trophy after the English FA Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester City in London, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo holds the winner's trophy after the English FA Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester City in London, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Manchester City players celebrate with the winner's trophy after the English FA Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester City in London, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Manchester City's Bernardo Silva celebrates after Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo scoring the opening goal during the English FA Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester City in London, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo celebrates after winning the English FA Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester City in London, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Manchester City's Bernardo Silva, left, celebrates with teammates after winning the English FA Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester City in London, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English FA Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester City in London, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo, left, scores the opening goal during the English FA Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester City in London, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Pelham)

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez (top) celebrates with team-mate Wesley Fofana after scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Chelsea in Liverpool, England, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola, left, celebrates with Manchester City's Rayan Cherki at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Crystal Palace in Manchester, England, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

FRIBOURG, Switzerland (AP) — Teenage captain Macklin Celebrini scored twice and Canada shut out Italy 6-0 at the ice hockey world championship on Saturday.

In his three-point game, the 19-year-old Celebrini netted a one-timer from the right circle after receiving a cross-ice pass from Porter Martone to make it 3-0 with 3:04 remaining in the opening period.

Celebrini followed his first goal of the tournament with his second from a backhand shot high into the net at 2:09 in the middle period for 4-0.

Canada was two wins from two in Group B in Fribourg after beating Sweden 5-3 in their opening game on Friday.

Sidney Crosby, fresh from the NHL playoffs, registered the first assist on the second goal by Celebrini. Dylan Holloway, Fraser Minten, Evan Bouchard and Ryan O’Reilly also scored and goaltender Cam Talbot saved all 19 shots he faced.

Canada next plays Denmark on Monday.

Newcomer Italy returned to the top division for the first time since 2022.

Holloway and Minten scored 47 seconds apart midway through the opening period. Holloway received a pass from John Tavares in front of the goal to beat goaltender Davide Fadani and Minten doubled the lead on a rebound.

Bouchard, on a power play, and O’Reilly completed the shutout by scoring within 25 seconds late in the second.

Finland also recorded a second win, 4-1, over Hungary in Group A in Zurich.

Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov, who missed the entire season due to an injury, had two assists for Finland.

Another newcomer, Britain, lost to Austria 5-2. The Austrians scored three times in the first 10 minutes of their opening game in Zurich.

Britain answered with a couple of goals through David Clements and Liam Kirk 37 seconds apart in the first period. Austria stretched the lead with two more goals in the second when Britain was restricted to only two shots on goal.

Peter Schneider scored twice for Austria.

In Fribourg, Marek Hrivik scored midway through the final period to lift Slovakia 2-1 over Norway.

Later Saturday, host Switzerland faced Latvia in Zurich and the Czechs played Slovenia in Fribourg.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Slovakia's goaltender Samuel Hlavaj in action during the 2026 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship preliminary round group B game between Slovakia and Norway, in Fribourg, Switzerland, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Cyril Zingaro/Keystone via AP)

Norway's goaltender Tobias Normann, concedes a goal during the 2026 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship preliminary round group B game between Slovakia and Norway, in Fribourg, Switzerland, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Cyril Zingaro/Keystone via AP)

Britain's Liam Kirk, right, scores his team's second goal, during the 2026 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship preliminary round group A game between Britain and Austria, in Zurich, Switzerland, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Andreas Becker/Keystone via AP)

Britain's Liam Kirk celebrates scoring his team's second goal, during the 2026 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship preliminary round group A game between Britain and Austria, in Zurich, Switzerland, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Andreas Becker/Keystone via AP)

Austria's Peter Schneider, 2nd from left, scores his side's fourth goal past Britain's goaltender Mat Robson, during the 2026 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship preliminary round group A game between Britain and Austria, in Zurich, Switzerland, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Andreas Becker/Keystone via AP)