KEIR RADNEDGE at WEMBLEY —- Two goals from Ilkay Gundogan, his first in a record 13th second, brought Manchester City one step closer to the magical treble.
The Premier League champions completed the 13th league and FA Cup double in history with a 2-1 victory over United in the occasion’s first Manchester derby. Now manager Pep Guardiola’s men will match their neighbours’ historic treble from 1999 if they defeat Internazionale in next Saturday’s Champions League Final in Istanbul.
City were by far the better team though they played in fits and starts against a United side who scrapped and hustled all the way through to the final whistle once they had recovered from the shock of conceding the quick-fire instant first goal. Now they can return to more pragmatic concerns about the ownership of the club and rebuilding of a squad to suit manager Erik ten Hag’s ambitions.
United’s consolation was a first-half penalty converted by captain Bruno Fernandes against the run of play in a final which marked the centenary since Wembley – white horse and all – first hosted the occasion.
United fans had wanted Erik ten Hag’s team to remind City that they are the long-time kings of Manchester. Above all they wanted United to protect their historic status from 1999 as the only English club to boast the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
Those hopes – and all their pre-match planning – suffered a rude shock after 13 seconds.
From the kick off, City played the ball to goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who hit it long up the right wing. Haaland then Kevin de Bruyne popped the ball square to Gundogan who thundered a right-foot volley into the back of the net from outside the the penalty box. Keeper David de Gea barely moved.
Historic goal
The City captain thus also claimed the honour of the fastest goal in the Cup Final’s 151 years, beating Louis Saha’s opener for Everton against Chelsea after 25 seconds in 2009.
Within minutes it could have been worse for United. Rodri went close with a header, Jack Grealish wasted another chance and Erling Haaland let another run away from him and then shot too high.
Remarkably, United were back on terms after 32 minutes.
A long ball down the right was headed in by Aaron Wan-Bissaka but struck the upstretched arm of Grealish, jumping with him. Referee Paul Tierney took no action until he was directed to the pitchside screen by VAR David Coote. Tierney then pointed to the spot and captain Fernandes, after a stuttering run-up in front of the City fans, sent Ortega the wrong way.
The blow of the penalty shook City out of their smooth rhythm. Grealish could find no space against United’s snappy harassment and Bernardo Silva appeared uncertain as to what was expected of him, either in midfield or going wide.
Goalkeeping error
United, thus encouraged, were first out for the second half yet revealed themselves unprepared once more for the restart.
Six minutes after the break Fred tripped Kevin De Bruyne deep on the City right wing and the Belgian’s flighted free kick was volleyed home by Gundogan – this time with his left foot. In fact Gundogan mis-hit the ball which bounced twice before eluding blundering goalkeeper De Gea.
If this was Gundogan’s last appearance for City in England then he was a worthy man of the match.
De Bruyne might have scored himself minutes later but this time De Gea managed to do something right and blocked the Belgian’s shot with an outstretched leg.
As time ran on in the sunshine so the game began to open out at last. Gundogan had what would have been a hat-trick goal denied by an offside flag between Rashford shooting the bar and newly-arrived substitute Alejandro Garnacho curling an effort narrowly wide of Ortega’s left-hand post.
Raphael Varane bobbled the ball against the City crossbar in a goalmouth scramble in stoppage time but an equaliser would have been undeserved. City, albeit not at their free-flowing best, were worthy winners.
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