Youri Tielemans’s long-range stunning effort against Chelsea in the 63rd minute earns Leicester City their first FA Cup trophy in the club’s 137-year history as a football club. Before their 1-0 victory against the Blues in the final of the FA Cup tournament in front of 22,0000 spectators at the Wembley stadium today, the Foxes had previously lost three FA Cup finals (the most recent one in 1969). 

Brendan Rogers, having just won his first trophy in the Premier League, has never lost a Cup final as a manager before (2017 Scottish League Cup, 2017 Scottish Cup, 2018 Scottish League Cup, 2018 Scottish Cup, 2019 Scottish League Cup, and 2021 FA Cup). Rodgers on BBC Sport: “It’s very special, been in six finals before and won them, today is the seventh and it’s the FA Cup so it’s truly special. It means so much to us, so proud, but happier for everyone else.”

After losing last season’s final to Arsenal, today’s loss to Leicester City means that Chelsea is now the first team to lose the FA Cup final in two consecutive seasons since Newcastle United in the year CH1998 and 1999. This also makes the Blues eighth defeat in their last eleven finals since 2015. 

How the Game Happened

Chelsea had the first half to themselves but they couldn’t make the best out of it in creating major openings. Before the end of the first half, Leicester City were forced to make a quick substitution in the 34th minute by replacing the injured Jonny Evans. 

At the beginning of the second half, the 2016 Premier League champions (Leicester City) were the ones asking questions and Tielemans’s sensational long-distance strike came earlier enough to justify that even though Chelsea felt there’s a handball in the buildup to the goal. 

Chelsea reacted with a couple of great chances to get back on level terms: Ben Chilwell’s header hit the post and Mason Mount forced Kasper Schmeichel to a superb save. 

A late controversy happened towards the end of the game as Wes Morgan, at the 89th minute, put the ball at the back of his own net, getting Chelsea to think that they were taking the game to extra time. A VAR replay showed that Ben Chilwell had been offside in the buildup to the goal to relieve Leicester City and crush Chelsea’s hope of lifting the trophy for the first time since 2017.