Sports

Man City Sink Forest To Reach Third Successive FA Cup Final

Published

5 months ago

April 27, 2025

Manchester City will face Crystal Palace in their third successive FA Cup final after cruising to a 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest at Wembley on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side took an early lead through Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol’s second-half goal sealed a comfortable semi-final success.

City can look forward to a showdown with Palace at Wembley on May 17 after the Eagles won 3-0 against Aston Villa in the other semi-final on Saturday.

Their 14th FA Cup final appearance gives City a chance to win the competition for the eighth time and the third since Guardiola arrived in 2016.

City lost to Manchester United in last season’s FA Cup final after beating their cross-town rivals in the 2023 showpiece.

Guardiola is hoping to salvage a turbulent season by lifting the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League via a top five finish in the Premier League.

City, who sit fourth in the league with four games left, will go into the final as favourites after thrashing Palace 5-2 at the Etihad Stadium earlier in April.

But nothing has come easy for City this season and Guardiola will need no reminding of that after their four-year reign as English champions was officially ended by Liverpool’s win against Tottenham at the exact moment the final whistle blew at Wembley.

Forest, only two points adrift of third-placed Newcastle with a game in hand, have to lick their wounds and focus on their bid to reach the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.

It was City’s 28th trip to Wembley since it reopened in 2007 and just Forest’s second.

So it was no surprise the Forest hordes who made the trip were far more vocal as kick-off approached, while swathes of empty seats stood out in the City sections.

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But it wasn’t long before City’s fans made themselves heard as they stormed into the lead in the second minute.

– Slick City –

Guardiola had claimed this week that City will be much stronger next season because they have finally rediscovered their spirit and passion.

The City boss was encouraged by his players’ wild celebrations of Bernardo Silva’s early goal in a crucial 2-1 win against Villa on Wednesday and once again they made a fast start.

After a probing spell of City passing, Lewis was given far too much space on the edge of the Forest area and he took full advantage with a fierce drive into the bottom corner.

City’s pressing was too intense for Forest to handle and Nico O’Reilly waltzed through the Forest defence for a blast that fizzed just wide.

With Neco Williams suspended and Ola Aina and Ryan Yates injured, Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo had gambled on 18-year-old Zach Abbott at right-back, while Anthony Elanga was surprisingly left on the bench.

For much of the first half, Nuno’s moves backfired, with Abbott — who had played just 60 minutes this season — repeatedly exposed by City’s attacks and Forest lacking a cutting edge without Elanga.

Forest failed to muster a single shot in the first half and had only one touch inside the City area.

Nuno sent on Elanga at the interval and the winger should have marked his 23rd birthday with a goal when he lashed wide from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s pass.

But City showed the ruthless streak that Forest lacked in the 51st minute.

Matheus Nunes’ effort was pushed away for a corner by Matz Sels and from Omar Marmoush’s set-piece, Gvardiol was left virtually unchallenged as he rose highest to head home.

Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White crashed a volley off the crossbar, then clipped another effort off the post.

Taiwo Awoniyi also hit the woodwork for Forest with a back-heeled flick.

But it was too little, too late as City celebrated a victory that keeps alive their bid to avoid a first trophyless season since 2016-17.

Sports

Ballon d’Or 2025: Full List Of Winners

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

In a night of celebration and surprises at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony crowned new champions in men’s and women’s football. PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé emerged as the men’s winner, capping off a stellar season that saw him lead his club to Champions League triumph.

Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí made history by securing the women’s award for the third consecutive year. Here’s the complete rundown of all the major awards from football’s most prestigious gala.

Men’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

The 28-year-old French star beat out fierce competition from Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Dembélé’s pivotal role in PSG’s European success, including key goals and assists, propelled him to the top. This marks his first Ballon d’Or and continues a trend where winners since 2013 have been 28 or older.

Top 5 Rankings:
1 Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

2 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Women’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Bonmatí became the first player to win three in a row, despite Barcelona’s loss in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final to Arsenal and Spain’s defeat to England in the Euro 2025 final. Her standout performances as the best player in both the Euros and Champions League sealed the deal, edging out Arsenal’s Alessia Russo and Barcelona’s Mariona Caldentey.

Other Major Awards
• Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player, Under 21): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
The 18-year-old wunderkind took home this award without contest, with speculation swirling about his potential for the senior Ballon d’Or in future years. Yamal’s speech humbly acknowledged the bigger prize ahead.

• Yashin Trophy (Donnaruma): Now in Manchester City, however the Italian shotstopper was pivotal during PSG’s quest for its first European glory.

• Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
Honoring their dominant 2024-25 campaign, including Champions League victory. The Paris crowd erupted as DJ Snake presented the award amid chants.

• Women’s Club of the Year: Arsenal
Recognized for their undefeated run in the Champions League and overall excellence.

• Coach of the Year: Luis Enrique

Highlights and reactions
The evening was a mix of glamour and minor gaffes—think awkward dance breaks and a quirky DJ presentation—but the focus remained on the stars. Dembélé’s win has sparked debates on X and beyond, with fans crediting his team’s support while others lament Salah’s perennial near-miss. “What does Mo Salah have to do?” one BBC commenter quipped.

Bonmatí’s third win cements her as a legend at just 27, though some voices argued for Russo’s dual Euros and Champions League heroics. Real Madrid’s boycott drama from 2024 was absent this year, with their stars like Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior attending gracefully despite missing the podium.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: 2025 Women’s Club Of The Year Emerge

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Arsenal Women have been named the 2025 Women’s Club of the Year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.

The award comes after a historic season for the Gunners, who lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League, defeating Barcelona 1-0 in the final in Lisbon. Stina Blackstenius scored the decisive goal to hand Arsenal their second European crown.

Beyond their European success, the North London side also impressed domestically, finishin second in the Women’s Super League and reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup..

The Women’s Club of the Year award recognises not only on-field success but also the club’s wider contribution to the growth of the women’s game.

Arsenal’s strong development structure, international recognition, and fan engagement were also factors behind their recognition.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned the Best Team of 2025 at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

The French champions, who enjoyed a remarkable season both domestically and in Europe, were recognised for their consistency and dominance across competitions.

The French giants enjoyed an extraordinary 2024-25 season, capturing four major trophies: the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the UEFA Champions League, and the Trophée des Champions.

They also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, underlining their quality and ability to compete with the very best across continents.

The Best Team award at the Ballon d’Or gala highlights the Parisians’ evolution from domestic dominance to genuine European and global contenders.