In the FA Cup final, "Manchester City" sensationally lost to "Crystal Palace" (0:1) and was forced to end the season without a trophy. This was the last chance for Pep Guardiola's disciples.
Eze — the author of the goal that opened the way to victory
In the 16th minute of the match, "Crystal Palace" player Eberechi Eze scored from the edge of the penalty area, opening the scoring. This goal had a serious impact on the outcome of the game.
Haaland did not take the penalty — Marmush failed to score
In the 33rd minute of the match, the "City" team earned a penalty due to a foul in the opponent's penalty area. After a VAR review, referee Stuart Attwell awarded the penalty. However, Haaland, who wanted to take the responsibility of scoring, passed the ball to Marmush at the last moment. The Egyptian striker's shot was successfully saved by "Palace" goalkeeper Henderson.
After this episode, "City" missed the opportunity to equalize, and the psychological advantage in the match shifted to the opponent.
Wayne Rooney: “Haaland is not elite”
Football legend Wayne Rooney criticized Haaland for refusing to take the penalty:
“Haaland is a great striker, but he is not at the level of Messi and Ronaldo. These two stars would never shy away from responsibility in such a situation. Messi and Ronaldo have a selfishness, a strong desire to score goals. Haaland turned away from that responsibility.”
No results in finals — why?
Interestingly, Erling Haaland has participated in 8 finals of various competitions with "Manchester City." However, in all these final matches, he has neither scored a goal nor provided an assist. This clearly strengthens the perception that he "fails in big games."
Haaland currently has many achievements at the club, but his ineffectiveness in crucial matches raises questions about his leadership potential.
Husanov in the final roster — debut expected
Young Uzbek defender Abduqodir Husanov was also included in the roster for this final match held at "Wembley." Unfortunately, he did not enter the field and watched the game from the substitute bench. At the same time, this indicates that he is seen among the leaders.
Fans remember that when Abduqodir Husanov joined "Manchester City" from France's "Lance" in January 2024, Erling Haaland supported him. Therefore, fans are evaluating Haaland's wrong decision in this final not as someone who "welcomed Husanov correctly," but as a player who is "struggling with leadership."
From the editorial office of Zamin.uz:
"City's defeat in the final left many questions unanswered. Notably, despite having world stars in the squad, there is a lack of experience and preparation in decisive matches. It is time to seriously reflect on Haaland's avoidance of the penalty and his ineffectiveness in finals.
How do you evaluate this final and Haaland's actions? Will Husanov be given a chance in the summer?
