Aubameyang’s brace sends Arsenal to the FA cup final
Arsenal were emphatic yesterday in front on an empty Wembley stadiun as two Pierre Emerck Aubameyang goals, one in both halfs of the game sends the North London side to their 21st English FA Cup final, a competition they have won 13 times, one more than Manchester United who have won it 12 times. Arsenal last defeated City at this same stage in the FA Cup with a come back 2-1 win at the Wembley stadium in 2017.
Arsenal coming from the back of an impressive home league win against the Champions Liverpool, came into this one as an underdog because not too many would have given the struggling Mikel Arteta side a chance to go past FA Cup holders, Manchester City thinkered by Arteta’s former boss Pep Guidiolar, two impressive wins space of four days, the Arteta experiment at Arsenal proved doubters wrong and surpassed expectations and they have now had victories over the two dominant forces in English football, this time more significantly to qualify for an FA Cup final which might mean Arsenal would be ending a very poor season by their recent standard with a first piece of silverware in the last 3 seasons.
Expectedly, ManCity came into game on the front foot pilling lots of pressure on the Arsenal defense with their characteristic high pressing game, but the consolation for the Arsenal faithful was that City were not creating chances and they never had any shot on goal and the Arsenal keeper in goal did not make a single save in the opening 30 plus minutes of the match.
Arsenal had their 1st break of the game from a well planned move which started from a sleek inter change of passing within their own box and a through ball from the hard working ,resurgent French man, Alexandre Laccazzete found its way to Nicolas Pepe who seem to have found some kind of form as well, a perfectly timed cross from the left at the edge of City box from Pepe was met by a sliding crucial touch from Aubameyang ,and the ball found its way past the Ederson in City goal for Arsenals 1st goal on 19 minutes.
Arsenal were dogged from there on both offensively as they created some chances but the final ball was always lacking in quality and they also seem to have some sort of defensive organisation which saw them repel City’s move till they saw off the half.
Second 45 started with period of City pilling on the pressure and hoping to force the Arsenal defense to commit mistake which is highly likely on a very good shaky Arsenal day,but the duo of Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos were having a great day at the office in front of the Arsenal defensive back-line as they were first to many of the 50/50 balls which was a brilliant thing to watch for the Arsenal faithful who have survived their team’s shambolic performances all season long ,a very poor and forgettable 1st half of the Premier league season, which has all cumulated to a 10 position on the log behind teams like Burnley with Europa league qualification been mathematically out of sight for the gunners who are 9 point behind Manchester United in 5th and 3 point away from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the final Europa league spot as it stands.
Arsenal got their second goal to seal a very important win, from another break away move on the 71st minute as Pepe was involved yet again as he slide a pass through to Tierney who was smart enough to spot Aubameyang run which put him through one on one with the City keeper and he was clinical enough to put his ball into the net for his 25 goal of the season.
City pressed even stronger from there on and all their attempts were met by a resolute Arsenal defense on the day which was marshaled by David Luiz who has had some poor performances in some league game since the restart, and in some crucial matches since he joined Arsenal from Chelsea.
Arsenal at probably their worst run in the league in 25 years are surprisingly going to be having a shot at winning the FA Cup for a record 14th time next month at the Wembley stadium,still without the fans on 1st August against either Manchester United or Chelsea who would be squaring up much later today at the other semi final game at Wembley.
