Crystal Palace FA Cup Triumph: History Makers
The win marks Palace’s first major honour in their 119 year club history.
Eberechi Eze made a late run into the box to knock home a Daniel Munoz cross in the 16th minute of the FA Cup final last Saturday. Ultimately, it would go on to win Crystal Palace their first major honour.
As I graced across London on a pub-crawl that same day, peering at televisions to check the score, or glancing at BBC iPlayer with a fellow football fan, I got the sense that the whole of London was behind Palace. They had not conceded a goal since the round of 16. They had accomplished convincing victories over Stockport, Doncaster Rovers, local rivals Millwall, fellow mid table club Fulham, and Champion’s League positioned Aston Villa. They had been brave in possession when they needed to be, with their front man Mateta proving to be clutch throughout the campaign.
UItimately, their performance was a win for the sport. It was a win against the football monopolies, it was a win for South London, and it was a win for the hearts and minds of football’s most beloved followers.
Oliver Glasner spoke at full-time to say: “I don’t know. I don’t feel it’s a legacy. I’m just part of an amazing group and we achieved everything together, so I don’t think that it’s a legacy”.
“We’re all defined by our character. Everyone. The players as well, of course. Everybody of us has different talents. These people, they have a great talent. They can play football quite well”.
“But we are defined not by what we are doing. We are defined by our character. This is what they are: they are outstanding. I mention it so often. And this is what they showed. The togetherness. Always supporting the group. Always having the team on the top”.
Brighton fans may have something to say about that potential red card, however. The importance of the Palace goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, cannot be understated. He was the player of match, making multiple outstanding interventions as well as saving Omar Marmoush’s penalty. However, a promising counter-attacking opportunity from Erling Haaland had a controversial ending. Dean Henderson appeared to have left his goalkeeping area, intervening with his hands: purely against the laws of the game. VAR did not sent the referee, Stuart Attwell, to the screen.
Henderson admitted: “I didn’t know it was for me in all honesty. I knew it came into the box. I wasn’t sure what they were doing it for. I asked Chilly (Ben Chillwell) down the side who they were doing it for and he said yeah but who cares? It doesn’t matter. I’m not bothered.”
Maybe it was fated that Henderson would be rewarded for his outstanding performances. In an emotional statement to BBC Sport, he shared: “I lost my dad at the start of the season, but he was with me today. He was with me every kick of the game. I dedicate that win to him.
