The greatest pair of FA Cup Final Semi-Final clashes in recent times got underway at Wembley Stadium this weekend and fans were in for a treat with goals, controversy, and two cracking matches.
When Spurs and Chelsea came out of the hat to face each other in a dramatic FA Cup Semi-Final clash, the world was about to see who was the best team in English football, and as it turns out, it was the side that lost.
One of these two clubs will win the English Premier League (EPL), but only Chelsea can fight for the double after hitting Spurs for four with a clinical display of you screw up, and we will punish you.
Wembley Stadium was like one of those old kettles’s that you heat up on the stove, and it was whistling like crazy in only the fifth minute. Toby Alderweireld upended the speedy Pedro at the edge of the box and Willian, in the side ahead of Eden Hazard, put it away like he always does.
Chelsea’s lead was short-lived.
Spurs attacked down the right through Christian Eriksen, the Dane feigned to cross with his right foot before swinging the ball into the box with his left, and there was Harry Kane to stoop as low as an ant at the near post to score with the deftest of flicks off his head. It was the forward’s 21st goal in his last 24 London derbies.
One of the reasons Spurs has been able to pursue Chelsea like a love sick Peacock is because they have strength in depth no more epitomised than the form of Son Heung-Min. But today, the South Korean striker lost a stripe after a desperate lunge on Victor Moses gave referee Martin Atkinson no choice but to point to the spot. Up stepped Willian, and Chelsea was heading for a half-time Bovril with a 2-1 lead.
Spurs came out for the second half like a Marvel superhero trying to do everything in their power to prevent the earth from destruction. They threw everything at Chelsea and eventually equalised when that man Eriksen threaded the ball through the eye of a sedentary Chelsea backline, and Dele Alli pounced to score his 20th goal of the season, double his tally from this time last year. It was the Dane’s 20th assist of the season, more than any other player competing in the major european leagues and one of the reasons Barcelona are hunting his signature.
With all the momentum with Spurs, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte flexed his muscles by bringing on Diego Costa and Eden Hazard, and it was an inspired move. The diminutive little Belgian smacked the ball past Hugo Lloris against the run of play in the 75th minute to put the cap back on that whistling Spurs kettle.
And then before Spurs could shake off the cobwebs, Nemanja Matic nearly broke the joint between post and crossbar when he fired a shot that looked like it had come out of a cannon to secure Chelsea’s berth in the FA Cup Final and keep them on target for the double.
Arsenal Upset The Odds to Beat Man City
With Chelsea beating Spurs on Saturday they became the only team to reach seven FA Cup Finals this century. They didn’t hold the record for very long.
When it comes to job savings tournaments, Arsene Wenger can always turn to the FA Cup. He has won the tournament on six occasions tying with George Ramsay, formerly of Aston Villa.
Wenger began the game with a back three for the second game in a row meaning another start for the Arsenal youngster Rob Holding. But the new kid on the block could do nothing to prevent Sergio Aguero opening the scoring after getting on the end of a Leroy Sane cross – but the linesman disallowed the goal saying the cross went out of bounds before curling back in despite video evidence showing the goal should have stood. Then the pendulum swung the other way when Jesus Navas clearly tripped Alexis Sanchez inside the penalty area, but the referee waved play on.
The goals came in the second half and who else, but Sergio Aguero would open the scoring. City broke up an Arsenal attack, and before you could sneeze, Yaya Toure had sent Aguero bearing down on goal. It looked like the Argentinean had lost the ball until his pace caught up at the last minute to chip his 30th goal of the season over a lumbering Petr Cech.
Arsenal replied within ten minutes.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain crossing from the right and Nacho Monreal arrived into the box like a hyperactive puppy to volley home his first goal in two years.
Yaya Toure and Ferdandinho could have both won the tie for City had their efforts not cannoned off the post and crossbar respectively, but the two giants of English football had to settle for an additional 30-minutes.
Holding should have given Arsenal the lead when he blazed a header over the bar from a corner in the first half of extra time, and then came the game defining moment. Mesut Ozil floated in a corner, Laurent Koscielny found the space to nod the ball across goal, Danny Welbeck had an air shot, and Sanchez pounced to give Arsene Wenger the opportunity to win his seventh FA Cup trophy and maybe save his job. It was the Chilean’s 24th goal of the season and six in five games in this stadium for club and country.
Results
Chelsea 4 v 2 Spurs
Arsenal 2 v 1 Man City (AET)
FA Cup Final Odds
Chelsea -175
Arsenal +135
