Manchester United’s youngsters Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo made history by becoming the first two teenagers to score in the same FA Cup final, according to Opta.
Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils side headed into the final at Wembley as major underdogs against Manchester City but two first-half goals from Garnacho and Mainoo, both 19. stunned their rivals with a 2-1 victory to win the FA Cup
United had a dream first half, scoring twice. Garnacho capitalized on a mix-up between Stefan Ortega and Joško Gvardiol to fire into an empty net, and Kobbie Mainoo added a second, finishing a superb team move. Meanwhile, André Onana made just a single save in the first half.
City fought back in the second half, ensuring a nervy finish when Onana’s weak save on 87 minutes couldn’t keep out Jérémy Doku’s shot at his near post. However, United held on to seal a memorable victory.
Despite a late goal from Jérémy Doku, United saw the game out to win 2-1, ending their season on a high note. The victory means Erik ten Hag, rumoured to be at risk of losing his job, has now won silverware in both of his two years at the helm.
Garnacho’s crucial opener came after he took advantage of a mishap between Josko Gvardiol and Stefan Ortega, gifting the Argentinian winger a tap-in.
Mainoo’s strike, a cool finish, was the culmination of a slick move involving Marcus Rashford, Garnacho, and Bruno Fernandes just before the half-time interval.
Mainoo has enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough campaign after overcoming an injury at the start of the season and was recently included in England’s preliminary Euro 2024 squad.
This year’s FA Cup title is the second trophy of Erik ten Hag’s tenure at United, but it comes amid intense speculation over his future, with potential replacements already being considered by the club.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
