LONDON: Manchester City moved to within one victory of completing a momentous treble as they beat Manc­hester United 2-1 in the FA Cup final thanks to Ilkay Gundogan’s double on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s men completed a domestic double at Wembley and can become just the second side, after United in 1998/99, to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season should they beat Inter Milan to become European champions for the first time on June 10.

City captain Gundogan entered the record books by scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup final history as he crashed home a stunning volley 12 seconds after kickoff.

United, seeking to win both domestic cups in the same season for the first time and at the same time wreck City’s hopes of emulating their own historic treble, levelled against the run of play with a 33rd-minute Bruno Fernandes penalty after Jack Grealish was harshly penalised for handball.

But Gundogan, in what could be his final game for the club on English soil with his contract expiring at the end of the season, restored City’s lead with another volley seven minutes after the interval and Guardiola’s side resisted some late pressure to win the trophy for a seventh time.

“Everyone knows the FA Cup is the most beautiful domestic club competition in the world, so to win this trophy again and complete the double is amazing for us,” said Gundogan. “We have a chance to do something special and win the treble and we do not want to let this opportunity pass us by.”

For the first time in 190 meetings the clubs were clashing for silverware, and not just bragging rights, and Wembley was decked in red and sky blue.

Smoke from the pre-match pyrotechnics had not even cleared when City took the lead in spectacular fashion as Victor Lindelof’s headed clearance sat up perfectly for Gundogan to send a dipping right-foot volley arcing over a transfixed David de Gea.

It eclipsed the previous fastest FA Cup final goal scored by Louis Saha after 25 seconds for Everton against Chelsea in 2009 and City threatened to run riot.

Rodri headed into the side-netting moments later before Erling Haaland failed to get a clean connection on Gundogan’s enticing cross before United were handed an unexpected gift.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s header back across the City box brushed the arm of Grealish and referee Paul Tierney was instructed to review the incident by VAR. Despite City’s protestations, Tierney pointed to the spot and Fernandes coolly sent Stefan Ortega the wrong way.

It energised United and Raphael Varane volleyed over from a corner as halftime approached.

City needed slightly longer in the second half to re-establish their superiority and again it was Gundogan displaying his knack of scoring crucial goals.

This time the German was picked out by De Bruyne’s chipped pass and his left-foot volley, not struck anywhere near as perfectly as his earlier effort, bounced its way through a crowded area and crept inside De Gea’s right-hand post.

Gundogan was denied a hat-trick by an offside flag and as the minutes ticked down City began to look edgy with United substitute Alejandro Garnacho curling a shot agonisingly wide while a goalmouth scramble in stoppage time ended with the ball bouncing off City’s crossbar.

However, the Red Devils could not find the goal to deny Guardiola an 11th major trophy as City boss and protect the unique legacy of Alex Ferguson’s great side 24 years ago.

Only Inter in Istanbul in a week’s time now stand between City and matching the greatest achievement English club football has ever seen.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2023