Manchester United
FA Cup Win: One for the fans
The 88,000+ fans in attendance and millions more watching from home had to wait until late in the second half to see the ball hit the back of the net. Eagles’ midfielder Jason Puncheon opened the scoring in the 78th minute. But the Reds mustered a display of fighting spirit and drew level three minutes later through Juan Mata. After Chris Smalling was sent off in extra time, Academy graduate Jesse Lingard hit a stunning winner that will be remembered for years to come.
It’s a special moment [...] it’s great for the fans, it’s fantastic. To win a trophy will lift the supporters.
Wayne Rooney
Although it has been a disappointing season in the Barclays Premier League, after finishing fifth and missing out on Champions League qualification, success in the FA Cup has provided genuine cause for celebration among everybody associated with United. Particularly for the fans, who have craved this trophy in the dozen years since the club’s last success in 2004 when Millwall were beaten in Cardiff.
United and Palace famously met in the 1990 FA Cup final and the two managers from that time, Sir Alex Ferguson and Steve Coppell, carried the trophy onto the pitch ahead of kick-off at Wembley.
Even contest
Many pundits had predicted United would dominate the possession with Palace being happy to sit back, and that was exactly how the match began as the Reds controlled the opening exchanges, forging shots at target through Marcus Rashford, the recalled Marouane Fellaini and Wayne Rooney.
It’s a massive feeling, to win it is a great feeling and ending the season on a high. [...] It’s the United way – we have such good team spirit.
Jesse Lindgard
Palace also displayed their counter-attacking threat when Connor Wickham thought he had scored on 18 minutes, after rounding Chris Smalling and Daley Blind to finish past David De Gea. However, the Eagles frontman was visibly angry upon his realization that referee Mark Clattenburg had already whistled for a foul on the edge of the penalty area, in what was a moment of fortune for United.
Juan Mata forced a good save from Wayne Hennessey and Fellaini went close with another deflected header as the first half settled into an even contest. Rashford, so effective in the semi-final, also bamboozled Pape Souare with a series of brilliant stepovers to find Anthony Martial at the back post, but the Frenchman was thwarted when his drilled effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by Joel Ward.
Edge of your seat
The deadlock was almost broken on 53 minutes, when Fellaini wriggled past his marker to cannon a powerful shot off the post, as the Belgian continued to justify his recall following a three-match ban. That near-miss prompted gasps of frustration from United’s fans behind the goal and they rued their luck again seconds later, when Martial struck the other post with a well-timed header.
It’s been a tough season but a very good end for the fans. [...] it’s about enjoying it now and today we can bring the trophy home. It’s a great feeling to win this trophy for the first time with Manchester United.
Juan Mata
Saturday’s final became increasingly physical as the clock passed the hour mark and Marcos Rojo was first to pay the price, after the left-back suffered an injury from a collision with Damien Delaney. The Argentinian was replaced by Matteo Darmian and he was quickly joined on the bench by Rashford, who was forced off after Johan Cabaye’s studs landed awkwardly on the inside of the striker’s knee.
Disaster struck on 78 minutes as Palace took a shock lead when substitute Puncheon latched onto Delaney’s punt to produce a back-post finish past De Gea. The goal ironically bore some resemblance to Lee Martin’s winner in the 1990 replay, but it wasn't as important as United thankfully drew level just three minutes later. The talismanic Rooney provided the inspiration, surging through the area to plant the ball on Fellaini's chest ahead of Mata striking low through the legs of Ward.
It’s fantastic to win this title for the club, for the fans
Louis van Gaal
Extra time was required and, after a brief team talk on the pitch, Rooney continued his cross-country performance by executing a superb sliding challenge to deny Wilfried Zaha in defense before quickly reappearing at the other end to curl a 25-yard effort wide. Yannick Bolasie also went close with a long-range effort and it was the Congolese forward who was later brought down by Smalling, which earned the center-back his second yellow card and an unwanted red card.
Palace ramped up the pressure in the second half of extra time, going close through Dwight Gayle, but it was United who found a breakthrough from the right boot of substitute Jesse Lingard as the Academy graduate thumped a bouncing ball into the top corner. It was a goal that clinched the FA Cup and secured the 23-year-old's place in Reds history, wrapping up a mesmerizing and enthralling final at Wembley.
Quotes: Reds stars react to FAC Cup triumph
Video: 2016 FA Cup final highlights
Video: see United lift the FA Cup
Content from disqus has been blocked because you did not allow to load it.
Loading the blocked content will adjust your privacy setting and content from this service will not be blocked in the future.
You have the right to revoke or change your decision at any time.
Posting Guidelines
All communications on Logistics of Things should be appropriate for a professional community, respecting the diverse views of individuals from different backgrounds. We will review all comments and reserve the right to terminate or restrict access to user's account and to delete any content posted through it, without notice and at our discretion, if we deem it to be overly promotional, offensive, or off topic.
All posting become property of DHL.