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Aaron Ramsey, Alexis Sanchez strike to deliver Arsenal 13th FA Cup title

Arsene Wenger lifting yet another trophy in what just might be his final game in charge of the Gunners!

Aaron Ramsey, Alexis Sanchez strike to deliver Arsenal 13th FA Cup title

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger holds aloft the FA Cup trophy (Photo: AFP)

Arsenal salvaged a dismal 2016-17 season, beating 10-man Chelsea 2-1 courtesy of goals from Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey in a dramatic FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, shattering the Blues’ hopes of a League and Cup Double in the process.

Arsene Wenger, shackled by a defensive crisis, sent out the Gunners in a 3-4-3 formation, with David Ospina starting in place of Petr Cech between the sticks. Per Mertesacker, Rob Holding and Nacho Monreal were the three centre-backs in Arsenal’s system and despite an obvious lack of familiarity, acquitted themselves well against the newly-crowned Premier League champions. 

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte had stressed in the build-up that his team were up for the final and would not be taking anything for granted, but they seemed too sluggish in every department and for a change Arsenal had more desire than their arch-rivals. 

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Cesc Fabregas warmed the bench as Chelsea trotted out in the same XI that had seen them win an unprecedented 30 league games, but the Blues found themselves reeling after just four minutes when Sanchez scored a controversial opener. A ricochet came in the Chilean’s path on the edge of the box and he seemed to control the ball with his hand, before finishing deftly past Thibaut Courtois with the outside of his boot. Chelsea’s players were appealing for a handball and an offside for Ramsey, who might not have have gone for the ball but was clearly interfering with play, but match referee Anthony Taylor thought otherwise.

After the goal, many expected a Blue deluge to overwhelm the notoriously unreliable Gunners, but it was the team who had the lead who twice went extremely close to finding the next goal.
Danny Welbeck, leading the line, was giving David Luiz and co a torrid time with his smart movement, and his glancing header came off the post to give the Blues a reprieve. In fact, Chelsea were indebted to Gary Cahill for his heroic goal-line clearance as Mesut Ozil had chipped Courtois from a tight-angle after Sanchez’s through ball had set the German through on goal.

Eden Hazard, tipped to be star man on Saturday, was anonymous and while Chelsea had a chance to get back into the tie when Diego Costa beat Rob Holding to a long ball but Opsina justified his inclusion with a smart save to preserve his side’s lead.

After the interval, Chelsea emerged the stronger of the sides, but struggled to test their former goalkeeper, Petr Cech, apart from shots from distance. And their misery was compounded when Victor Moses got himself sent off in the 68th minute for a second bookable offence, trying to win a penalty via the ‘dark arts’ of the game aka diving. 

To the Blues credit, they fashioned a goal out of nowhere, with Costa heading home in the 76th minute what just might be his final goal in a Chelsea jersey to set up what seemed to be a tie heading to extra-time. 

Bizarrely enough, Chelsea seemed to switch off, and within three minutes of equalising, they had conceded what turned out to be the winner. Ramsey made a surging run into the box to head in substitute Olivier Giroud’s cross from the byline, to seal the deal in the Gunners favour.

While the result is nothing short of a miracle, considering Chelsea’s form this season, Wenger’s 7th FA Cup trophy with the Gunners may not be enough to earn him a contact extension as he goes in for crunch talks with the club’s board members. For Arsenal will not be playing in the Champions League next season, a massive loss in terms of revenue and prestige both, and perhaps the board will look for new direction this summer. 

For Chelsea, the result will be a sobering reminder to take nothing for granted in English football as despite being overwhelming favourites, they were well-beaten by an Arsenal side.

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