toptop
Aaron
Ramsey scored 12 minutes from time to win the FA Cup final for Arsenal in a
pulsating 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Saturday.
In a lively battle between north and west London at Wembley, Chelsea - who
trailed 1-0 to Alexis Sanchez's controversial opener - looked down and out when
Victor Moses was sent off on 68 minutes for picking up a second yellow card for
diving.
However, Diego Costa sensationally levelled for the 10 men on 77 minutes, only
for Ramsey to hit an instant reply for the Gunners just 60 seconds later after a
wonderful cross from substitute Olivier Giroud.
The victory ends a disappointing league season on a high for Arsene Wenger, who
has now won the FA Cup a record seven times as Arsenal boss - although he is yet
to announce whether he is staying on as manager next season.
All the pre-match talk surrounding this clash revolved around Arsenal's injury
issues at the heart of their defence.
With Laurent Koscielny suspended and Gabriel and Shkodran Mustafi missing out
through injury, Wenger had to field a makeshift back three of Per Mertesacker,
who was making his first start in 13 months, alongside Rob Holding and Nacho
Monreal.
It was thought that Chelsea would pressurise the Gunners backline early on - but
it was Arsenal that looked the more eager to force the running and they were in
front inside four minutes, albeit in controversial circumstances.
David Luiz's clearance was blocked by Sanchez, who used his hands to divert the
ball into his path. The Chilean then tried to knock the ball into the path of
Ramsey, but he was in an offside position.
With the Chelsea players appealing for handball and offside, Sanchez carried on
his run and got there ahead of Ramsey before sliding an effort past Thibaut
Courtois. The linesman had flagged for offside but referee Anthony Taylor
overruled his assistant after a 30-second deliberation and Arsenal's players
celebrated wildly.
Chelsea looked shell-shocked and very leggy as Arsenal swarmed around them at
every opportunity.
The Gunners were afforded considerable space in the final third, with Danny
Welbeck's movement causing Gary Cahill and David Luiz untold amounts of
problems. Mesut Ozil took advantage of the huge gaps in the Chelsea backline on
16 minutes but his chipped effort was back-heeled off the line by Cahill.
The Arsenal pressure was relentless, but they could not find the second goal
their dominance deserved. Ozil's corner was headed onto the post by Welbeck on
19 minutes and somehow Ramsey amazingly followed suit from three yards out -
although the angle was tight.
Chelsea continued to live dangerously and Welbeck sprinted in behind on the
half-hour, and his effort from a tight angle beat Courtois but not Cahill, who
scrambled it off the line.
Although regarded as one of the most resolute teams in the Premier League,
Antonio Conte's men had lost five of their six games when behind at half-time
this season. They came out with a bit more swagger after the break, with Moses
stinging David Ospina's gloves with an effort from 15 yards and Pedro curling
wide from the edge of the box on 59 minutes.
With Chelsea looking increasingly dangerous, their task was made tougher as
Moses had a moment to forget on the Wembley turf.
Already on a yellow card, the wing-back, whose journey this season has been a
heartwarming tale, theatrically and laughably went down in the penalty area
under no contact from an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tackle.
Referee Taylor spotted it, which meant Moses had to take a long walk of shame in
front of the watching world.
That looked to be the end of Chelsea's season but Costa had other ideas. The
striker turned inside the area on 77 minutes and fired a low effort past Ospina,
which stunned the Arsenal end of the stadium.
They would have been forgiven for thinking 'same old Arsenal' but their team
gave one final push. Aided by Wenger's substitution of bringing on Giroud for
Welbeck, they conjured up a moment of magic to win the game.
Giroud darted in behind Luiz and Cahill and chipped an outstanding ball into
Ramsey, who thumped a header into the net from 12 yards.
Arsenal pushed for the third late on and hit a post through Ozil, while Costa
nearly grabbed another unlikely equaliser but Ospina made a point-blank save.
The final whistle brought huge cheers from the Arsenal end and a double fist
pump from Wenger.
Arsenal end a problematic season on a high.
Teams
Chelsea Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill (c), Moses, Kante,
Matic (Fabregas 61), Alonso, Pedro (Willian 72), Hazard, Costa (Batshuayi 88)
Subs Not Used Begovic, Zouma, Terry, Ake
Booked Moses, Kante
Sent Off Moses 68
Goals Costa 76
Arsenal Ospina, Holding, Mertesacker (c), Monreal, Bellerin,
Ramsey, Xhaka, Oxlade-Chamberlin (Coquelin 83), Sanchez (Elneny 90), Welbeck
(Giroud 78), Ozil
Subs Not Used Cech, Iwobi, Walcott, Perez
Booked Ramsey, Holding, Xhaka, Coquelin
Goals Sanchez 4, Ramsey 79
Attendance 89,472
Referee Anthony Taylor