Garnacho, Mainoo on target as Man Utd stun Man City to win FA Cup
Manchester United saved their best performance of a mediocre season until the very end, defeating Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday to deny their rivals the double.
With speculation swirling about manager Erik ten Hag's future, United ripped up the form book with first-half goals from teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, enough to win the trophy for the 13th time.
They had to endure a second-half siege as City swarmed forward, and Jeremy Doku's late goal set up a nail-biting finish before United could celebrate their first FA Cup final victory in eight years.
Premier League champions City, looking to become the first club to win the double in consecutive seasons, had a 35-match unbeaten streak in all competitions in open play.
However, a week after winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title, Pep Guardiola's side were far from their best, giving Garnacho a 30th-minute opener before fellow 19-year-old Mainoo made it 2-0.
In the first final between the same teams in consecutive seasons since 1885, City rallied in the second half, with Erling Haaland hitting the crossbar, but it took until the 87th minute for substitute Doku to reduce the deficit.
United held firm, however, to secure the best result of Ten Hag's two-season reign and qualification for next season's Europa League, despite the fact that the Dutchman is unlikely to be in charge the following season.
"Incredible. Nobody believed in us. But we're a team, all together. We fought, the game of our lives," Garnacho, who became the first Argentine to score in the Cup final since Ricky Villa for Tottenham Hotspur against City in 1981, said.
The build-up had been dominated by talk of the chasm between the two Manchester clubs, with City winning the title for the sixth time in eight years under Guardiola and United finishing eighth in their worst Premier League season.
Ten Hag's future was also uncertain, with reports claiming that the showpiece would be his final game in charge, regardless of the outcome.
But he could smile at the end as he led his players up the Wembley Stadium steps, his name being sung by United's ecstatic fans, who had been expecting a thrashing just hours before.
"The performance was very good against the best team in the world," Ten Hag told the BBC. "We've had so many setbacks this season with all the injuries but we showed so much resilience and I'm proud of them."
When asked if it was his last game, the former Ajax Amsterdam coach replied, "I don't know. For me, this is a project, and when I came in, it was a mess."
Garnacho, one of United's few bright spots this season, had the game's first shot on goal, and his movement posed a constant threat to a City defence that saw two changes, with John Stones and Nathan Ake starting.
City were caught off guard when United scored in the 30th minute. A long ball forward should have been meat and drink for Josko Gvardiol, but his headed back pass went over advancing keeper Stefan Ortega, and Garnacho gleefully accepted the unexpected gift.
Marcus Rashford had a goal ruled out minutes later after Garnacho was caught offside, but it wasn't long before United were in dreamland.
This time, no assistance was required as Garnacho played the ball in to captain Bruno Fernandes, whose superb no-look pass set up Mainoo to slot past Ortega.
City were stung, but substitute Doku sparked them to life. Haaland smashed a shot against the crossbar, and United keeper Andre Onana made a fantastic save to keep out a Kyle Walker effort, while Julian Alvarez, who replaced Kevin De Bruyne, fired over the bar.
Alvarez side-footed wide from close range, but United's backline, led by the excellent Lisandro Martinez, whose injury absences this season have weakened United's back four, held firm.
City finally broke through when Doku shot past Onana at the near post, but it was too late.
SportsLigue