Saturday, 11 May 2013

FA Cup Final result

Wigan Athletic claimed the first major trophy in their 81-year history when Ben Watson's last-minute goal won the FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.
Roberto Martinez's side produced a performance full of attacking intent and verve to fully deserve this historic win against firm pre-match favourites City, who had Pablo Zabaleta sent off six minutes from time.
Substitute Watson, who has missed much of the season after breaking his leg in November, sent Wigan's fans into ecstasy with a near-post header from Shaun Maloney's corner at the very moment the board went up to signal three minutes of stoppage time.
The goal was just reward for Wigan, whose drive and intensity was in sharp contrast to the desperately lacklustre display served up by City as last season's Premier League champions end this campaign empty-handed.
It completed a miserable day for manager Roberto Mancini, which began with reports that was about to be sacked and replaced by Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini and ended with a defeat that left City's hierarchy looking on stone-faced from the Royal Box as Wigan celebrated.

Jubilant Wigan

  • Wigan are the 43rd club to win the FA Cup and Roberto Martinez becomes the second Spanish manager to lift the trophy
  • The Latics had only one shot on target in the match, but scored with it to triumph
  • No top-flight club has ever won the FA Cup and been relegated in the same season
Opposite number Martinez is also at the centre of speculation about his future as he has been linked with the forthcoming managerial vacancy at Everton - and his stock will have risen markedly now he has the FA Cup against his name.
And when this final is remembered, the performance of Wigan's Callum McManaman will be recalled alongside Watson's goal after a magnificent, and close to unplayable, display of wing play which gave City defender Gael Clichy a harrowing afternoon.

No comments:

Post a Comment