Arsenal and Aston Villa face-off in an FA Cup final with plenty on the line early tomorrow morning. After five cup games over the past five months, it all culminates at Wembley. It is bound to be a good one.
Outside90 club correspondent Shem Timothy takes a look at the highlights along the paths the Gunners and the Villans took to reach the final.
Arsenal
Arsenal won the FA Cup last year after beating Hull in the final thanks to an Aaron Ramsey winner. They started this year’s campaign as they ended the last, beating the Tigers at the Emirates Stadium. The first goal came from an unlikely source in the form of Per Mertesacker, but The finishing touch came from a more expected source as Alexis Sanchez grabbed a goal in the 82nd minute.
The fourth round tie against Brighton & Hove Albion was not a stroll, but the Gunners still got through with relative ease. Theo Walcott took the lead on 89 seconds when he converted Calum Chambers’ cross and record-signing Mesut Ozil made it 2-0 before the half. Brighton pulled one back five minutes after the restart before Tomas Rosicky regained Arsenal’s 2-goal cushion. Sam Baldock made it 3-2 after 75 minutes to set up an exciting final quarter of an hour. The reigning cup holders held on to advance to the fifth round.
Middlesbrough were next at the Emirates. Two quick-fire goals by Olivier Giroud in the first-half ensured that it was an easy progression for Arsenal into the quarter-finals. Following the draw, a trip to Old Trafford loomed. Arsenal have had a poor recent record against Manchester United and they knew in order to retain their trophy, they would have to put an end to those demons. United needed to not only halt Arsenal’s progression but also to attempt to win the trophy that they have not lifted in a decade. The Gunners came out on the night. Wayne Rooney cancelled out Nacho Monreal’s opener in the first-half. But in the 61st minute, Danny Welbeck, the Manchester-born lad, the Man United fan and the man who Louis Van Gaal deemed not good enough gave Arsenal the lead and sent them to Wembley. As they say, revenge is a dish best served cold.
https://youtu.be/-8yKdKq6P7Y
For the second year in a row, Arsenal were heading to Wembley. The draw was kind to them on paper as they avoided Premier League outfits Liverpool and Aston Villa, yet it was anything but in actuality. Alexis Sanchez gave Arsenal the lead in the first-half but Garath McCleary volleyed home an equaliser shortly after the break. The game ended 1-1 and extra-time was needed to decide the finalist. Cometh the man, cometh the hour. After the 106th minute, Sanchez scored the winner to send Arsenal to the FA Cup final for the second season in a row. It was not an easy road, but the Gunners showed will and determination to get there. Can they go all the way and retain their Cup?
Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s road to the FA Cup final was started by Paul Lambert but finished by Tim Sherwood. The campaign was opened with a 1-0 win over Championship-turn-League One side Blackpool. A late winner by Christian Benteke ensured that a replay was not necessary. Having beaten a side at one end of the Championship table, Villa then proceeded to beating a side at the opposite end as they won 2-1 at home to now-promoted Bournemouth. New signing Charles Gil opened the scoring in the 51st minute with a brilliant long range effort on his debut. Weimann all-but assured progression 20 minutes later as he doubled the lead. Callum Wilson scored a consolation for Bournemouth in stoppage time.
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While Villa’s cup form was good, their league form was nearly as poor as the football seen at Villa Park under Paul Lambert. After he received his marching orders, the team moved quickly to install former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood as their new boss. While the appointment was announced the day before their fifth round cup tie against Leicester City, Sherwood was not expected to take control until the Monday following the match, watching from the stands as the half-time score was 0-0. The incoming manager was not happy with what he saw and went into the dressing room at the break to give his players a boost. It worked. Bacuna opened the scoring before Scott Sinclair made it 2-0 after 89 minutes. Andre Kramaric grabbed a consolation for Leicester, but it was Villa who advanced to the next round and a quarter-final clash with rivals West Brom.
It was 0-0 at half-time in the Midlands derby before Fabian Delph opened the scoring after the restart. Scott Sinclair scored his second cup goal in his second cup game and sparked a massive pitch invasion before the end of the match. Villa were on their way to Wembley to take part in their first FA Cup semi-final since 2010. Their opponents, Liverpool. The Reds drew first blood as Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring after half an hour, but Benteke equalized just six minutes later. Villa were on top and they got their reward when Delph finished coolly to end Liverpool fans dreams of Steven Gerrard appearing in his last Cup final on his birthday.
10 matches, 3 managers and one, long road reaches its climax on as Tim Sherwood’s Aston Villa aims to ruin Arsene Wenger’s plans of a second consecutive FA Cup with Arsenal. Whatever the outcome, it is sure to be a good end to the English domestic season and both sides will be looking to take home the silverware. A win for Arsenal will ensure that they are the outright leaders for most FA Cups, currently level with Manchester United on 11. A win for Aston Villa will take them to 25 trophies overall and ensure that they pull away from Everton and Tottenham who are both level on 24 trophies.
May the best team win.
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