Late Silva goal earns Man City FA Cup semi-final win over wasteful Chelsea

Bernardo Silva secured victory for Manchester City in the FA Cup final after a crucial miss in the UEFA Champions League penalty shootout. This defeat marked Chelsea's 10th loss in their last 13 visits to Wembley.

After being eliminated from the UCL by Real Madrid on penalties earlier in the week, City had little time to dwell on that loss as they faced the challenge of defending their FA Cup title. Their opponents, Chelsea, entered the match with high confidence following a 6-0 thrashing of Everton in the Premier League, resulting in an open start at Wembley.

As expected, City dominated possession in the first half and created the first clear opportunity when Kevin De Bruyne set up Phil Foden, who managed to get past Dorde Petrovic but was unable to direct his shot on target due to being forced too wide.

Shortly after, Julian Alvarez found himself in a promising position after displaying close control in the box, but his effort was unintentionally blocked by an offside De Bruyne.

As the half progressed, Chelsea started to create their own chances, with Nicolas Jackson having his cutback cleared by Nathan Ake and John Stones sliding in to deny Noni Madueke from close range.

Cole Palmer, who had previously scored against his former club earlier in the season, came close to breaking the deadlock just before halftime. He skillfully evaded Rodri and tested Stefan Ortega with a low curling strike.

The halftime interval did not affect the tempo of the game, as both teams continued to create opportunities.

Jackson, heavily involved but struggling to find a clinical touch, had two shots denied in quick succession, while Foden forced a save from Petrovic at the other end.

In his determination to break the deadlock, Jackson found himself in a race with Kyle Walker but ultimately lost out, with his penalty appeals being ignored.

However, City's experience in playing in an FA Cup semi-final for a record sixth consecutive season paid off, as they managed to snatch a late goal that broke Chelsea's hearts. Petrovic inadvertently toe-poked De Bruyne's pass into the path of Silva, who forced the ball into the net from close range.

Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea suffered their first loss since the League Cup final in February, which is especially devastating as they not only miss out on winning a trophy but also have to depend on their performance in the league to secure a spot in European competition next season.

On the other hand, City's impressive unbeaten head-to-head record now extends to nine games (with 7 wins and 2 draws). They have successfully reached consecutive finals and will now face either Manchester United or Coventry City, as Pep Guardiola's team aims for another title.