Current:Home > MyMan City beats Chelsea with late Silva goal to make FA Cup final while Arsenal tops EPL -Wealth Legacy Solutions
Man City beats Chelsea with late Silva goal to make FA Cup final while Arsenal tops EPL
View
Date:2025-04-15 11:53:42
Manchester City’s European rule is over — its domestic dominance is not.
Even on a day when Arsenal rose to the summit of the English Premier League with a 2-0 win against Wolves, City kept its pursuit of back-to-back domestic doubles alive by booking its place in the FA Cup final.
Bernardo Silva’s late goal secured a 1-0 win against Chelsea in their semifinal on Saturday, just days after City’s Champions League defense was ended by Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola’s team had to dig deep at Wembley, with Chelsea creating the best of the chances before Bernardo struck an 84th-minute winner.
A sweet moment for the Portuguese playmaker was even more special given he missed a penalty in the shootout loss to Madrid on Wednesday.
“(I’m) very happy after a very frustrating week for all of us, for me personally,” Bernardo said. “The good thing is in football at Man City, you play every three days. Every three days you have the chance to put things right and now we have a chance to win another trophy.”
City hoped to become the first team to win back-to-back trebles after winning the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup last season. Without the injured Erling Haaland, it had to show character to bounce back after the disappointment of defeat to Madrid.
Chelsea had chances to take the lead, but Nicolas Jackson wasted three golden opportunities before Bernardo’s decisive moment — converting Kevin De Bruyne’s cross from the left via a deflection from Marc Cucurella.
“We conceded in a moment you should not concede,” Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said.
“We were not capable of being clinical in front of goal, we had many chances but we did not score. In the game we were a little bit better and deserved more, but it is not about deserving it, it is about being clinical and we were not.”
City is aiming to win the Cup for an eighth time, while Guardiola can extend his trophy haul to 16 since joining the club if his team completes the double.
He may look back on this game as being pivotal if City goes on to win the league and Cup, given the physical and mental strain the week has had on his players after being taken to extra time and penalties by Madrid.
Defeat to Chelsea would have raised questions over City’s resolve in the final weeks of a campaign when Arsenal and Liverpool are threatening to take the title race all the way.
While he celebrated joyously, fist pumping to the crowd and embracing each of his players, he voiced his anger over the decision to make his team play on Saturday. He said the semifinal should have been moved back 24 hours due to City’s Champions League commitments.
“I don’t understand how we survived today. It’s unacceptable to play today. Today is one of the greatest things I have seen from my players,” Guardiola said. “I just want to protect my players. It’s unacceptable, it’s common sense. I’m not asking for something special or privilege.”
Manchester United meets Coventry in the other semifinal on Sunday. The final is on May 25.
ARSENAL LEADS
Arsenal also had to show its resolve after a punishing week of its own.
Defeat to Aston Villa last weekend left Mikel Arteta’s team trailing City by two points at the top of the standings and that was followed by Champions League elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich.
After last season’s late title collapse, it looked like history was repeating itself.
But a 2-0 win at Wolves has gone some way to answering doubts about Arsenal’s credentials. Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard scored late in each half.
“It was a tough week for us. A few tough results and (it was) hard emotionally but we had to keep going,” Odegaard said.
Arsenal took over first place, a point clear of City, which has a game in hand.
Third-placed Liverpool can go level on points with Arsenal if it beats Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
RELEGATION BATTLE
Burnley’s hopes of survival were boosted by routing last-placed Sheffield United 4-1.
Vincent Kompany’s team is putting together a late-season bid to avoid the drop with only one loss in seven in the league. Burnley is within three points of safety.
The win at Bramall Lane pushed Sheffield United closer to relegation, 10 points from safety with five games to go.
A good day for Burnley was made even better as relegation rival Luton was hammered at home by Brentford 5-1.
Luton, in 18th, had the chance to move out of the bottom three with a win, but is just two points ahead of Burnley in 19th.
Yoane Wissa struck twice for Brentford, which moved 10 points clear of the drop zone.
___
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
veryGood! (75)
Related
- John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
- Australian minister says invasive examinations were part of reason Qatar Airways was refused flights
- In Southeast Asia, Harris says ‘we have to see the future’
- A man is back in prison despite a deal reducing his sentence. He’s fighting to restore the agreement
- Don't let hackers fool you with a 'scam
- Spain soccer chief Luis Rubiales accused of sexual assault by player Jenni Hermoso for unwanted kiss
- EPA staff slow to report health risks from lead-tainted Benton Harbor water, report states
- Wealthy Russian with Kremlin ties gets 9 years in prison for hacking and insider trading scheme
- Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
- Fugitive killer used previous escapee's 'crab walking' breakout method: Warden
Ranking
- The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
- Man charged with aiding Whitmer kidnap plot testifies in own defense
- Paqui removes 2023 'One Chip Challenge' from store shelves, citing teen use
- Ex-Trump aide Peter Navarro found guilty of contempt of Congress
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- It's so hot at the U.S. Open that one participant is warning that a player is gonna die
- Foreign Relations chair seeks answers from US oil firms on Russia business after Ukraine invasion
- Larry Birkhead Says Anna Nicole Smith Would Be So Proud of Daughter Dannielynn in 17th Birthday Message
Recommendation
Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
What happened when England’s soccer great Gascoigne met Prince William in a shop? A cheeky kiss
City lawsuit says SeaWorld San Diego theme park owes millions in back rent on leased waterfront land
Simone Biles Shares Hope to Return for 2024 Olympics After Experiencing Twisties in Tokyo
Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
Judge orders Texas to remove floating border barriers, granting Biden administration request
'Welcome to the USA! Now get to work.'
Thousands rally in support of Israel’s judicial overhaul before a major court hearing next week