Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester City v Stoke City FA Cup final LIVE
Share FA CUP FINAL Man City 1 Stoke 0 FT [LNB]FULL TIME: Manchester City 1 Stoke 0 [LNB]Man City end their 35-year wait for silverware courtesy of a Yaya Toure strike deep into the second half. [LNB]Stoke were never really in it, it was more a matter of Man City working out a way to break them down. [LNB]A thoroughly deserved win, but you fancy this is just the start of a very exciting journey for Roberto Mancini's side. Oh, and that means a City v United clash back at Wembley in early August for the Community Shield... should be a cracker! [LNB] Winner! Toure wheels away after scoring the goal which secured City's first silverware in 35 years[LNB]90+2min: Change for Man City: David Silva is replaced by Patrick Vieira. Stoke win three corners but they fail to threaten the goal. [LNB]90min: We'll have three minutes added on. To be fair we could play for another three hours and Stoke wouldn't score. [LNB]88min: Huge ovation for Carlos Tevez who is replaced for the last couple of minutes by Pablo Zabaleta. [LNB]86min: Midfield change for Stoke: Glenn Whelan is replaced by Danny Pugh. [LNB]85min: Great save Sorensen! Silva thumps a low drive from the angle across the keeper who does well to get down and palm the ball away from goal. [LNB]83min: Nowt doing for Stoke, Man City are retaining the lion's share of possession and win a corner which they decide to hold down in the corner for as long as they can to run down the clock a few agonising seconds. [LNB]81min: Substitution for Stoke: Rory Delap is replaced by John Carew. [LNB]79min: What have Stoke got? Can they fashion just one chance to get themselves back into this final? Their record over the previous 80-odd minutes suggests they probably won't. [LNB] Goal! Toure slams home from 12 yards out to hand Man City the lead[LNB]76min: Yep, there's that now famous celebration from the Man City fans: backs to the pitch, arms link over the shoulders of those stood next to them. Bouncy, bouncy! [LNB]74min: GOAL! Manchester City 1 Stoke City 0 (Yaya Toure)[LNB]Who'd a thunk it, Toure finds the back of the net at the same end he scored the winner against United in the semi-final. Balotelli's neat backheel on the edge of the box finds Silva who loses control of the ball, but the Italian lashes a shot goalwards. The effort is blocked and falls kindly to Toure who fair thrashes home from 12 yards out. [LNB]73min: First change for City: Adam Johnson replaces Gareth Barry. Very attacking move from Mancini. [LNB]69min: Man City deal very well with another Delap throw in. In fact, they've dealt with everything Stoke have thrown at them, but the longer this game progresses, the greater the chance that just one goal will seal the trophy. Just saying, like. [LNB]65min: A Rory Delap throw booms into the box, City clear. By the sound of it, Arsene Wenger's comments that Stoke play 'rugby football' is sticking. The Potters fans belt out Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Amusing. [LNB] Hart of the defence: The City 'keeper makes a confident claim as Stoke press[LNB]63min: First change of the afternoon - Matthew Etherington is hooked and Dean Whitehead comes on in his place. [LNB]61min: Kenwyne Jones, one-on-one with Joe Hart... but the keeper spreads himself and block. Fine, fine save. Credit to Matthew Etherington whose through ball was inch-perfect. Big moment. [LNB]56min: Balotelli slams his shoulder into Pennant's back and Stoke win a free kick down by the corner flag. They work a short routine and the ball flashes around the box but Man City clear their lines. [LNB]City scream upfield and Tevez finds Silva in acres of space but he dallies an aaaage on the ball and Stoke clear. The Argentina striker then angles a shot on goal which flies a yard or so wide. This game is very much alive and well! [LNB]54min: Ouch. Toure arrives late on Wilson and rakes his boots down the back of the Stoke defender's calf. Ref misses it. [LNB]53min: Worrying signs for Stoke. Looks like Pennant has had as recurrence of the ankle knock he suffered in the first half. he's stepping around the pitch gingerly. [LNB] Safety in numbers: Stoke throw defenders around Silva to halt his progress[LNB]50min: Better from Stoke. Pennant fluffs his lines when well placed on the edge of the box, skewing his shot into bodies rather than at goal. And Etherington escapes his marker momentarily, but his cross is blocked. [LNB]47min: Much consternation over the tardy return of hundreds of fans in the posh seats. I'm inclined to agree, there are thousands of Stoke And Man City fans who would have loved to take those seats. [LNB]46min: Early chance for Man City: Kolarov escapes the offside trap down the left and with players lining up to take the cut back, he decides to slam the ball into the side netting. [LNB]SECOND HALF: No changes to either side which means Jermaine Pennant has shrugged off his ankle knock and Matthew Etherington has convinced Tony Pulis he is fit despite all the evidence to the contrary. City get the game back underway. [LNB]HALF TIME: Manchester City 0 Stoke City 0[LNB]An entertaining game, enough goalmouth action to keep you interested, but I fancy both sides have a couple more gears they can move up to make this game worthy of its billing. I'll have the second half for you in a bit.[LNB] Net result: Sorensen's flying save denies Balotelli[LNB]45+1min: Forget that, think we'll have a bit longer at the end of this game - Jermaine Pennant has gone over on his ankle and looks in quite some discomfort. Worrying times for Stoke, Pennant has been their best attacking outlet so far. [LNB]45min: We'll have one minute added on...[LNB]43min: De Jong side-foots a timid drive wide from 25 yards out. Ho, hum. [LNB]40min: Yellow card. Robert Huth - who is lucky to still be on the pitch following his earlier clash with Mario Balotelli - is cautioned for a double-footed lunge on Micah Richards. [LNB]39min: Another decent chance for City: Tevez through the inside right channel cuts the ball back to Balotelli who aims to shoot just six yards out but Stoke get bodies in the way. [LNB] No way through: Balotelli's route to goal is blocked by Sorensen[LNB]38min: Pennant - who has been Stoke's best player today - picks the ball up wide right and heads goalwards. With options left and right, he opts to roll the ball in to Jones who fluffs his lines and skews an ambitious drive from just outside the box well wide. [LNB]35min: Silva five yards out with the Stoke goal gaping... but he sends it over! An absolute sitter. An exquisite clip over the defence from Tevez finds Balotelli who really should shoot first time, but he takes a touch. The ball bounces away from him but only to Silva who slams his shot down into the ground, his effort sails high over the bar when he really should have scored. [LNB]30min: Handball shout as the ball bounces up on to Vincent Kompany's arm, ref says nothing doing. Correct decision. Man City break up the other end and guess who's to receive the pass form De Jong? Yep, Kompany arrives on cue but sends a rather tame shot in Sorensen's arms.[LNB]29min: More trickery in the box from Tevez, the striker very nearly fashions a yard for the shot but Stoke swarm defenders around the ball and clear. [LNB]24min: Fine shot, great save. Brilliant piece of football all round as Toure finds Balotelli on the edge of the box, the Italian skips inside his marker and bends an exquisite right-foot curler towards the corner of the goal but Sorensen's fingertip save sends the ball around the post. Super stuff. [LNB] Jermain men: Tevez and Pennant have been the most threatening players for their teams so far[LNB]21min: Great link-up play from Walters who find Jones in the box, the noise levels rise at the Stoke end but his shot is blocked by Kompany. [LNB]18min: Man City continue to impress on the break. Toure's 50-yard crossfield pass finds Tevez who screams into the box, Sorensen hesitates and the Argentinian skips past the keeper, but the angle is too tight for a shot. He rolls the ball back to Balotelli who is blocked out. [LNB]15min: Now then, real controversy here. Whistles rain down from the Man City fans as Mario Balotelli writhes on the floor after a 'coming together' with Robert Huth. And the replays aren't kind to the German who clearly sticks an elbow into the Italian's jaw. Neither the ref or his assistant saw the incident so we move on. [LNB]13min: Stoke didn't need him in the semi-final for any of their five goals, but Delap has an early chance to send a long throw in to test the Man City defence. But nowt comes of it, ironic jeers from the fans in blue as it is easily nodded clear. [LNB]11min: Boom! Yaya Toure thumps a venomous drive from a good 25 yards out which zips past junction of post and bar. [LNB] Early chance: Stoke's John Walters has a shy at goal[LNB]9min: It's all Man City so far: They're first to the loose balls and are finding passes with ease. De Jong earns jeers from the Stoke end after booming a speculative rive from the edge of the box high over the bar. [LNB]4min: First chance of the match falls to Man City. Tevez profits from a slip in the Stoke defence, cuts across the back line and fires in a venomous right-foot drive which Sorensen does well to parry away. [LNB]KICK OFF: Stoke get us underway (a couple of minutes late) in their famous red and white stripe kits, Man City facing them in their light blue kit....[LNB]2.58pm: City fans doing their Poznan/backward/jumping celebration. They tend to save that for after goals... they will hope they haven't jinxed it. [LNB]2.56pm: Stacey Solomon singing God Save the Queen in an faux-American accent... 'Gaaaaad say-ay-ay-ay-ve aaaaar graaaaycious Queeeeeen'. Oh dear. [LNB]2.55pm: Ahhhh, the nervous wait in the tunnel, players, officials and respective managers look tense. What's the only thing that can make that wait any worse? The news that you have to walk out on to the pitch to face 90,000 screaming fans! [LNB]Here they come, the players are on their way out. [LNB] Wembley way: Manchester City fans (above) and Stoke fans (below) soak up the pre-match atmosphere[LNB] [LNB] 2.50pm: Your attention please, turn to the back of your matchday programmes where you will find the word to Abide With Me.[LNB]2.41pm: Time for the team news then... quite a few surprises in there, let me tell you: Carlos Tevez has been handed a place in the starting line-up in the FA Cup final against Stoke at Wembley.[LNB]The Argentina striker proved his fitness in midweek after a hamstring injury by stepping off the bench in the win over Tottenham. Tevez partners Mario Balotelli up front with City aiming to win their first major trophy in 35 years.[LNB]Man City v Stoke - teams Man City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Barry, Toure Yaya, Silva, Tevez, Balotelli. Subs: Given,Zabaleta, Milner, Dzeko, Adam Johnson, Vieira, Boyata.Stoke: Sorensen, Wilson, Huth, Shawcross, Wilkinson, Pennant,Whelan, Delap, Etherington, Walters, Jones. Subs: Nash, Collins, Pugh, Diao, Whitehead, Carew, Faye.Referee: Martin Atkinson[LNB]There is also good news for Stoke, who are appearing in the final for the first time, with both Matthew Etherington and Robert Huth in the team after hamstring and knee injuries respectively.[LNB]2.40pm: Erm, I'll mention this quietly for all you Manchester City fans... United are Champions. That's it, I won't mention it again. I promise.[LNB]2.36pm: So, will today's match rate up there as one of the all-time classics? Lord knows, this famous old trophy has served up a mixed bag in recent memory. But what has been your favourite final of all time? Here are some of Sportsmail's top writers most memorable finals.[LNB]2.30pm: Whatever happens today, we are guaranteed an historic afternoon. Remarkably, these two sides have been waiting a combined 74 years, four months and 28 days for some silverware.[LNB]That wait ends today, for one of them, at least.[LNB]Afternoon everyone and welcome to Sportsmail's coverage of the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Stoke City from Wembley Stadium.[LNB]The bookies make Roberto Mancini's side clear favourites to take today's final but, in truth, both of these teams arrive at the showpiece event in very good form.[LNB]Tony Pulis's side have lost just once in the last nine and put Arsenal to the sword by way of an entree to this clash in the capital.[LNB]And if anyone is uncertain as to just how bad the underdog's bite is, may I direct you to this season's Carling Cup final between Birmingham and Arsenal. Form goes out of the window on days like these.[LNB]But Mancini has been quick to fend off any thoughts of complacency from his team this afternoon. [LNB]'Arsenal against Birmingham is a perfect example,' he said. 'I will remind the players of that but they know that against Stoke it will be very hard. I've played against Stoke three or four times in one year and we've had a problem in every game. Every game! They're not easy to play against.'[LNB]Tuesday's victory over Tottenham means the fans at Eastlands will be watching Champions League football next season, but winning an actual trophy today would round off a very rewarding season for the Italian. [LNB]It's the big one and its sure to be a cracker. I'll bring you all the team news as we get it and you can direct your thoughts on the day's action in this direction: tom.bellwood@dailymail.co.uk[LNB] Wembley way: City won the battle with United last month, now can they seal the trophy?[LNB] Stoke take route 66 to Wembley: Speech from Banks inspired Cup runFamily matters for Yaya as City star admits he'll miss brother Kolo in finalFinal insult... Part II! NEXT season's FA Cup showpiece at Wembley will be tarnished, tooAll the latest Manchester City news, features and opinionAll the latest Stoke news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Tony Pulis, Roberto Mancini, Matthew Etherington, Adam Johnson, Stacey Solomon, Carlos Tevez, Robert Huth, Mario Balotelli, Martin Atkinson, Vincent Kompany, Joe Hart, Dean Whitehead, Gareth Barry, John Carew, Danny Pugh, Patrick Vieira, David Silva Places: Birmingham, Argentina
