By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) – Manchester City moved to within one victory of completing a momentous treble as they beat Manchester United 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday thanks to Ilkay Gundogan’s double.
City captain Gundogan entered the record books as he scored the fastest goal in FA Cup final history, crashing home an exquisite volley after 12 seconds.
United, seeking to win both domestic cups in the same season for the first time and wreck City’s hopes of emulating their own historic 1999 treble, levelled against the run of play when skipper Bruno Fernandes tucked in a 33rd-minute penalty.
But Gundogan restored City’s lead with another volley seven minutes after the interval and Pep Guardiola’s side resisted late pressure to win the trophy for a seventh time.
The Premier League champions face Inter Milan in next Saturday’s Champions League final when victory would see them match United’s triple triumph in the 1998-1999 season.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)