Manchester City 1 Stoke City 0: Toure ends 35 years of hurt for the blue half of Manchester

The former Barcelona midfielder scored the winner against Stoke in the FA Cup final at Wembley with a thumping shot in the 74th minute.

It means City have completed a significant double – they have also qualified for the Champions League for the first time.

Toure dedicated his goal to his brother, who has been suspended pending an investigation since March after testing positive for a specified substance.

Yaya said: “We have created a little bit of history for the club by winning a trophy for the first time in 35 years and we are so happy. We need to enjoy it.

“But I am a little bit sad for my brother because I could see it in his eyes, he wanted to be part of the team.

“I dedicate my goal to him because this season he has had a lot of problems. He will be joining us at the hotel and I am very pleased about that.”

Toure also scored the winner in the semi-final when they overcame Manchester United, who clinched the Barclays Premier League title just before the cup final kicked off.

City outplayed their opponents but David Silva squandered two gilt-edged chances before Toure finally ended Stoke’s resistance.

Toure said: “I just love Wembley. To score the all-important goal against a strong team like Stoke is very special.

“We deserved to win this game because we created a lot of chances and played so well. This win is fantastic for us.

“Our target was to go to the Champions League and win something and my dream has come true. I am so happy for the club and the fans as they have waited a long time for a trophy.”

Toure had nothing but praise for manager Roberto Mancini and believes they can now step up another level.

He added: “He has been fantastic for me and is doing a great job.

“We have a lot of players from different countries but we have continued to work and improve and hopefully that will continue.”

City’s spending spree finally delivered some silverware almost three years after Sheik Mansour’s takeover transformed them into one of the richest clubs in the world.

His £300m investment has now produced Champions League qualification and an FA Cup triumph in the space of a week.

It was somehow fitting that Toure – reportedly the highest paid player in the Barclays Premier League on £185,000 a week – was the match-winner again against Stoke, whose 148-year wait for FA Cup glory goes on.

City had not won the cup themselves since 1969 but the Potters had not previously been to a final and are the only surviving founder members of the Football League never to lift the trophy. The 1-0 defeat was also a double-whammy for manager Tony Pulis, whose previous Wembley final saw his Gillingham side lose the 1999 Second Division play-offs to City.

Both managers gambled on the fitness of key players as Carlos Tevez, Matthew Etherington and Robert Huth all started.

City captain Tevez soon set about proving manager Mancini right, forcing a fine parry from goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen from 25 yards.

It was a sign of things to come as Mancini’s men belied their reputation for caution in an utterly dominant first-half display.

Ryan Shawcross almost put into his own net and Toure drilled just wide from long range.

City would have been ahead midway through the half but for a world-class save from Sorensen, who somehow clawed behind Mario Balotelli’s top-corner-bound curling shot.

It was looking like Sorensen’s lucky day after he kept his place as Stoke’s FA Cup goalkeeper ahead of Asmir Begovic.

He survived being beaten to a long ball by Tevez and got away with spilling Vincent Kompany’s tame long-ranger.

His luck continued when Tevez brilliantly played in Balotelli and Sorensen beat the ball down straight to David Silva, who rifled a shot into the ground and over the crossbar.

Stoke had gone some way to shattering their own reputation in their free-flowing semi-final demolition of Bolton.

But when Huth’s forearm connected with Balotelli’s jaw, it was an early indication they had reverted to type.

Long throws and set-pieces were once again the order of the day, although they did fashion a chance in open play when Vincent Kompany threw his body at Kenwyne Jones’s close-range shot.

Emerging from what can only have been harsh words at half-time, Stoke tore into City early in the second half, Jermaine Pennant playing through the pain of a first-half ankle injury to lead the charge.

But they were unable to produce the finishing touch and were almost caught on the break when Tevez squared for Silva, who hesitated just long enough for Shawcross to nick the ball away.

Joe Hart had been a spectator all afternoon but he came to City’s rescue just past the hour mark when Jones beat Joleon Lescott to a long ball before poking his finish too close to the goalkeeper.

Etherington, who had looked less than fully fit, was immediately withdrawn for Dean Whitehead.

Mancini responded to City’s second-half slump by throwing on Adam Johnson for Gareth Barry and it immediately paid off.

City won the ball on the edge of the area and Balotelli exchanged passes via Huth, with the Italian’s shot blocked by Marc Wilson straight to Toure to blast home.

Desperate defending and a fine save twice prevented Silva wrapping up victory, with Stoke throwing on John Carew in an attempt to keep their dream alive.

Mancini finally went defensive when he withdrew Tevez for Pablo Zabaleta but despite late Stoke pressure, City deservedly hung on. The City boss singled out his goalscorer Toure for special praise.

“We bought him for this,” he said. “He is a fantastic player. He scored in the semi-final and the final. All season he has played very well.”

Controversial striker Balotelli, who shrugged off his collision with Huth in the first half and was then named as man of the match, also impressed Mancini.

Mancini said: “Balotelli played very well. This trophy for him could be important. It can help him to improve like a man and as a player.”

Goalkeeper Hart declared City had “shut up” their critics as the club’s unprecedented spending spree of the last two-and-a-half years finally delivered silverware.

Delighted England goalkeeper art said: “It feels amazing. It is an amazing feeling. Great season, great people and great fans. Buzzing. Champions League is important for the club. Getting a trophy that shuts everyone up is important for the fans and for us.

“It was what we wanted to do but it’s easier said than done and we’ve gone out and done it.

“I’m pretty sure there are a few people who didn’t want us to do it and we’ve done it – so who cares?”