Arsenal aim for FA Cup number 15
By Jocelyn Taub
![Arsenal's Spanish head coach Mikel Arteta holds the winner's trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. - Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by CATHERINE IVILL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Arsenal's Spanish head coach Mikel Arteta holds the winner's trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. - Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by CATHERINE IVILL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/b11d2e32cf3265dc410d94166ca49106b86bf7fbfb47d99637dc8e3ca3d4cbaa.jpg)
2002 – Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea
Path to the 2002 FA Cup final:
- Third-round: Watford 2–4 Arsenal
- Fourth-round: Arsenal 1–0 Liverpool
- Fifth-round: Arsenal 5–2 Gillingham
- Sixth-round: Newcastle United 1–1 Arsenal
- Sixth-round: replay Arsenal 3–0 Newcastle United
- Semi-final: Middlesbrough 0–1 Arsenal
- Final: Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea
Arsenal and Chelsea met in the 2002 final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. It was the Gunner’s fifteenth appearance in an FA Cup final while it was Chelsea’s seventh time.
The first half was a battle as each side tried in vain to set up scoring opportunities.
Under increasing Chelsea pressure in the second half, the Arsenal defense stood strong. It took until the 70th minute for the momentum to turn. A Sylvain Wiltord pass reached Ray Parlour who scored from 25 yards out despite being marked by several Chelsea defenders.
Freddie Ljungberg added to his team’s lead ten minutes later when he drove the ball past Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini. What made this goal even more enjoyable was the fact that Ljungberg avoided a challenge from John Terry in the process of scoring.
The match ended 2-0 with Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira lifting the trophy.
Four days later the Gunners secured the Premier League title with a 0-1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. It was Wenger’s second time as Arsenal manager winning both the league and the FA Cup.
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