Manchester City kept hopes of a silver-lined season alive with a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. Goals from Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol secured their third consecutive FA Cup final appearance, offering a glimmer of redemption in a campaign that saw the team relinquish its Premier League dominance.
Lewis opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, capitalizing on a pass from midfielder Mateo Kovacic. Gvardiol doubled the lead early in the second half with a header from a corner kick. Forest fought back fiercely, hitting the woodwork three times, but failed to convert chances into goals.
The win arrives on a bittersweet day for City, as Liverpool officially claimed the Premier League title during the semifinal. Despite this, Kovacic emphasized the team’s resolve: 'We want to finish the season in a strong way.' Manager Pep Guardiola, however, remained pragmatic: 'The season has not been good… but the damage will be smaller [with a trophy].'
City now face Crystal Palace in the final on May 17. While an FA Cup triumph would mark their only silverware this season, Guardiola’s side remains focused on securing next year’s Champions League spot amid fierce competition from rivals like Forest.
