Manchester City has ended a 35-year trophy drought by winning the FA Cup after Yaya Toure’s second-half goal secured a 1-0 win over Stoke.
Toure struck with an unstoppable shot in the 74th minute after Mario Balotelli’s deflected effort fell into his path.
The Ivory Coast midfielder was immediately mobbed by his teammates as City celebrated a deserved goal.
Stoke was playing in the FA Cup final for the first time in its 148-year history and the team’s supporters were in fine voice as they sang the club’s unofficial anthem, Tom Jones’ Delilah, ahead of kickoff.
However, while the fans revelled in the Wembley experience, Stoke’s players appeared to be overawed by the occasion as City dominated the first half.
Carlos Tevez, who recovered from a hamstring injury to lead the team, drew a good save from Sorensen after only five minutes, and the Danish goalkeeper was relieved to see Toure’s thumping 35-metre effort go past his left-hand post in the 11th.
Sorensen again came to his side’s rescue in the 24th by athletically palming away a shot from Balotelli that was heading for the top corner, but the best chance fell to Silva, who shot into the ground and over the bar with Sorensen out of position.
Stoke, as expected, relied on its set-piece expertise, but Rory Delap’s first long throw was easily dealt with by City’s defence and Jermaine Pennant struggled to find any accuracy with his free kicks.
Stoke settled after the break but its first sustained spell of pressure almost ended in the first goal for City, who broke from defending a free kick in the 55th and sent Tevez racing down the right.
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