Macclesfield have completed the biggest shock in FA Cup history, after they knocked out holders Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The club, who play their football in the sixth-tier of English football, toppled Oliver Glasner’s side 2-1 at their home ground, The Leasing.com Stadium.
Goals from Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts cancelled out a stunning free-kick from £26million signing Yeremy Pino in the second half.
Dawson, who is also the captain of the club that sit 14th in the National League North, was named Man of the Match.
Glasner said he has “no explanation for what I’ve seen today,” in a furious post-match interview.
Speaking to the BBC, the Austrian boss said: “We give congratulations to Macclesfield for winning.
“We had no kind of quality today and I saw no one who could win a dribble. Then conceding set piece goals and timing in the header.
“If you can’t create clear chances, it is a lack of quality that we have shown today. We deserved to lose.”
Macclesfield have completed the biggest shock in FA Cup history, after they knocked out holder Crystal Palace on Saturday
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Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner was left seething with his sides display, which culminated in a historic defeat
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Glasner said that his half-time substitutions, which saw first-team regulars Tyrick Mitchell, Will Hughes and Brennan Johnson enter the field, were “quality”, but added: “We can find excuses but you don’t need tactics and a manager for these games.”
“So I think if you just show what you are capable of and show pride then you perform in a different way,” he concluded.
The statistics paint a telling picture. Macclesfield boasted more shots and matched their Premier League opposition for shots on target and big chances.
Speaking to BBC One after the historic victory, Macclesfield manager John Rooney – brother of Manchester United legend, Wayne – was understandably delighted. He said: “I can’t believe it, we never thought we would be in this position.
Wayne Rooney was in attendance at The Leasing.com Stadium to witness his brother mastermind one of the biggest victory in the history of the FA Cup
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Macclesfield remarkably put two past a disappointing Crystal Palace, as they stormed to their historic victory
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Fans rushed onto the pitch following the full-time whistle
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“We were incredible from the first minute. I thought we were deserved winners. I couldn’t be any prouder of the lads.
“I couldn’t have asked any more of them and you can see the joy in them.
“[Paul] Dawson is one of them, he is unbelievable in the air. He scores goals from the field and can play centre half, he puts his head where his goals are. He has that passion and sometimes we have to rein him in a bit but he was incredible today. He is a class clown.
“I didn’t think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that anything can happen on the day.”
Just last May, Glasner and Crystal Palace beat Manchester City at Wembley to lift the FA Cup – the first major trophy in their history.
Now, it all seems to have come crashing back down to Earth in the most dramatic fashion.
Saturday’s monumental victory for Macclesfield makes them the first non-league side to knock out the tournament holders since 1908/09.
They also find themselves 117 league places below the south London club.
Macclesfield are a phoenix club, born in 2020 after Macclesfield Town’s liquidation.
On the back of their home shirt, worn today, it reads: “Against all odds”, which seems pretty apt for their Saturday afternoon.
