Macclesfield completes historic FA Cup upset
Macclesfield have completed the biggest shock in FA Cup history, after they knocked out holders Crystal Palace on Saturday, reports BritPanorama.
The club, which competes in the sixth tier of English football, triumphed 2-1 against Oliver Glasner’s side at their home ground, The Leasing.com Stadium. Goals from Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts in the second half overcame a stunning free-kick from £26 million signing Yeremy Pino.
Dawson, who also serves as the club’s captain and plays for a side currently ranked 14th in the National League North, was named Man of the Match. This victory marks Macclesfield as the first non-league team to knock out tournament holders since the 1908/09 season, despite being 117 league places below their Premier League opponents.
Glasner expressed his frustration in a post-match interview, stating he had “no explanation for what I’ve seen today.” The Austrian manager commended Macclesfield but lamented the lack of quality displayed by his team: “We had no kind of quality today and I saw no one who could win a dribble… We deserved to lose.”
Despite monitoring the game closely, and having introduced first-team regulars Tyrick Mitchell, Will Hughes, and Brennan Johnson at half-time, Glasner suggested that “you don’t need tactics and a manager for these games.” His comments underscore the surprising nature of Crystal Palace’s performance.
The statistics reflected a competitive match, with Macclesfield registering more shots than their Premier League counterparts and matching them for shots on target. After the match, Macclesfield’s manager, John Rooney – the brother of Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney – could hardly contain his delight: “I can’t believe it; we never thought we would be in this position.”
Saturday’s monumental success illustrates the spirit of resilience, capturing the essence of football where giants can fall to determined challengers. For Macclesfield, a club reborn in 2020 after the liquidation of its predecessor, the motto on the back of their shirts, “Against all odds,” aptly reflects a day to be remembered.
As fans poured onto the pitch post-match, the moment served as a reminder of how unpredictable and thrilling football can be, where even the most fancied teams can be bested by relentless underdogs daring to dream.
