LONDON – Manchester City are one win away from the coveted treble after Ilkay Gundogan scored twice to beat Manchester United 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s men completed a domestic double at Wembley and can become just the second side, after United in 1998-99, to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season should they beat Inter Milan to become European champions for the first time next Saturday.
Gundogan told the BBC: “We have a chance to do something special and win the Treble and we do not want to let this opportunity pass us by.”
The German played his part, scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup final history after just 12 seconds.
He said: “We know how we want to play the kick-off and we aim to do that, to go long for Erling (Haaland) and try to get a second ball. It just placed amazingly for me and I just had to hit it. Obviously it was a quite good strike.”
United levelled on 33 minutes through Bruno Fernandes’ penalty after Jack Grealish was harshly penalised for handball.
But the City captain, in what could be his final game for the club on English soil, volleyed home the winner six minutes into the second half.
On his future, Gundogan, whose contract expires in June, said: “Nothing is decided yet, we will see what will happen.”
The first ever major final between the Manchester giants had the most explosive of starts.
Most of the 83,000 crowd were still taking their seats from the pre-match festivities when Victor Lindelof’s headed clearance sat up perfectly for Gundogan to volley home a stunning strike after just 12 seconds.
That appeared to set the tone for the Premier League champions.
United were barely able to get across the halfway line in the first half hour, but got the break they needed to get back into the game.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s header back across the City box brushed the arm of Grealish and referee Paul Tierney was instructed to review the incident by the VAR (video assistant referee).
Despite City’s protestations, Tierney pointed to the spot and Fernandes coolly sent Stefan Ortega the wrong way.
City boss Pep Guardiola was furious at the officiating as VAR did not intervene seven minutes before half-time, when Kevin de Bruyne was swiped out by Fred inside the area and no penalty was awarded.
Red Devils captain Fernandes told the BBC: “We wanted to end the season in a different way but it wasn’t possible. We’ve made big steps for next season, it wasn’t a successful season overall but it was a good one.”
Manager Erik ten Hag told the broadcaster: “They were tough goals, they were so soft and avoidable. When you play against City and you don’t concede almost nothing from open play, it is a big credit for the team but if you concede goals like this it is disappointing...
“We know we have a way to go but this will make us better.”
Having fought so hard to gain a foothold, United were made to pay for another slow start in the second half. Gundogan was the goalscorer again as he fired home from de Bruyne’s free kick.
Gundogan thought he had a rare FA Cup final hat-trick 20 minutes from time, but was flagged offside when he turned in the rebound after David de Gea denied Haaland his 53rd goal of the season.
United rallied in a tense finale as Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho flashed efforts inches off target before the Red Devils hit the bar in a goalmouth scramble deep into stoppage time.
Only Inter in Istanbul in a week’s time now stand between City and matching the greatest achievement English club football has ever seen.
Said Guardiola: “We can now talk about the treble... I’m a Barcelona fan but I will love this club for the rest of my life. I know today we gave our fans a good gift to enjoy against our neighbours.” AFP, REUTERS
