FA Cup holders Crystal Palace crashed out of the competition after being beaten by non-league Macclesfield in one of the tournament’s great modern shocks.
Palace, who began their defence as one of the leading top-flight sides in the draw, were dumped out by a club that has only recently been formed and sits a record 117 league places below them. The result will go down as one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history.
Macclesfield made their intentions clear from the opening stages, pressing Palace high and refusing to sit back despite the gulf in status. Palace had more of the ball early on but struggled to turn possession into clear chances, with Macclesfield’s back line defending with discipline and energy.
The breakthrough came for the hosts as Macclesfield took the lead, sending their supporters into disbelief and leaving Palace chasing the game. The Eagles tried to respond before the break, but the underdogs continued to frustrate them and carried their advantage into half-time.
After the restart, Palace pushed forward in search of an equaliser, increasing the tempo and committing more players into attack. Macclesfield, though, held their shape and stayed dangerous on the counter, keeping Palace wary whenever they lost the ball.
As the match wore on, nerves began to show in the Palace play, with Macclesfield growing in belief the closer they got to a famous win. The non-league side protected their lead through the final stages and completed a stunning victory to knock out the reigning champions.
The defeat ends Palace’s FA Cup defence at the first hurdle and hands Macclesfield a win that will be remembered among the competition’s most remarkable moments, underlining once again why the FA Cup remains football’s most unpredictable knockout tournament.
