The Manchester United duo of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho were on the score sheet on Saturday as the Red Devils beat their neighbours Manchester City 2-1 at Wembley Stadium to win the FA Cup final.
Mainoo and Garnacho, both 19 years old, became the first teenagers since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004 to score in the final of the FA Cup after the Portuguese international and former United forward did so in a 3-0 win against Millwall.
UNITED HAVE DONE IT!!! 🏆#MUFC || #FACupFinal
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 25, 2024
United, who have struggled all season long, came into Saturday’s game as the underdogs, but they looked inspired from the beginning, as they quickly got in front on the half-hour mark through Garnacho.
The Argentine teenager chased a high-through ball from Diogo Dalot before benefiting from lack of communication between Josko Gvardiol and Stefan Ortega. Having gotten to the ball first, Gvardiol nodded the ball over the on-rushing Ortega,, for Garnacho to just shoot into an empty net.
United found the back of the net again in the 38th minute, this time by another Academy graduate, Marcus Rashford, but the goal was correctly ruled offside as Garnacho, who played Rashford in, was initially ahead of the City defence.
However, Erik Ten Hag’s side looked really hungry for a second, which they got in the 39th minute, a minute after Rashford’s effort was ruled out. The Red Devils scored a proper team goal: Rashford picked Garnacho on the switch in the right wing; the United No. 17 then played a short pass to Bruno Fernandes, who then played a one-time pass to Mainoo before the English midfielder slotted the ball past Ortega for United’s second goal of the match.
Our Wembley goalscorers ⚽️🔥#MUFC || #FACupFinal pic.twitter.com/9MAAqNaOho
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 25, 2024
The first half ended with City stunned and United on top, but Pep Guardiola made some changes, most notably Jeremy Doku coming on for Mateo Kovacic. The Belgian caused all sorts of trouble for the United backline, and it almost paid off as his cross into the box met Erling Haaland, but the Norwegian’s strike hit the crossbar, leaving Andre Onana rooted to the spot.
Julian Alvarez, who came on for Kevin De Bruyne, squandered a glorious chance to half the deficit for City, as the Argentine couldn’t find the back of the net despite being one-on-one with Onana.
City continued to mount pressure on the United’s defence, and although Onana made two big saves from long-range efforts, he was finally beaten by Doku, whose low strike into the bottom corner was too hot for the Cameroonian goalkeeper.
As referee Andrew Madley signalled for seven added minutes, the boos from the United supporters were loudly heard, but Ten Hag’s men held on for the victory in the second-ever Manchester Derby in the FA Cup final, getting revenge for last season when they lost 2-1 to the same opposition.
THIRTEEN TIMES 🏆#MUFC || #FACupFinal pic.twitter.com/UT5ZBjCsnQ
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 25, 2024
The win helped United claim their 13th FA Cup title, second only to Arsenal (14), and also ensured City did not do the Premier League and FA Cup double for a second successive season.
