ARSENAL became only the second club in over 50 years to retain the FA Cup when a first-half goal from Robert Pires secured a 1-0 victory over Southampton under the closed roof of the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
The Gunners, who lost their Premier League title two weeks ago, rescued their season from anti-climax with their ninth FA Cup win in a record 16th final appearance.
It needed a goal-line clearance from a James Beattie header deep in stoppage time to ensure Arsenal retained the trophy it won 12 months ago against Chelsea.
Pires scored with a shot on the turn after 38 minutes and although the Saints battled feverishly throughout, Arsenal was always just a little too classy.
Manager Arsene Wenger spoke of his relief at ending the season with some silverware.
"The team was under immense pressure because they risked finishing without a trophy," he said. ""Not only are they great players but they have great spirit. I felt we got a very important victory."
The Cup triumph was Arsenal's third under Wenger in six seasons and it emulated the achievements of old rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the last club to retain the FA Cup in both 1962 and 1982.
The Saints' already tough cause was not helped when their giant Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi pulled a muscle taking a goal-kick and was taken off on a stretcher after 66 minutes to be replaced by Paul Jones. It was the first goalkeeping substitution in FA Cup final history.
At the other end, David Seaman, at 39 the oldest goalkeeper to play in the Cup final and the third oldest player ever, had a safe match, collecting his fourth FA Cup winners' medal in what could be his last game for the club.
Captaining his side to victory, he made one outstanding save from Brett Ormerod after 84 minutes but did not have much else to do. He had Ashley Cole to thank for keeping out Beattie's goalbound header after 94 minutes when the England defender cleared the ball off the line.
http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6457006%255E12428,00.html
The Gunners, who lost their Premier League title two weeks ago, rescued their season from anti-climax with their ninth FA Cup win in a record 16th final appearance.
It needed a goal-line clearance from a James Beattie header deep in stoppage time to ensure Arsenal retained the trophy it won 12 months ago against Chelsea.
Pires scored with a shot on the turn after 38 minutes and although the Saints battled feverishly throughout, Arsenal was always just a little too classy.
Manager Arsene Wenger spoke of his relief at ending the season with some silverware.
"The team was under immense pressure because they risked finishing without a trophy," he said. ""Not only are they great players but they have great spirit. I felt we got a very important victory."
The Cup triumph was Arsenal's third under Wenger in six seasons and it emulated the achievements of old rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the last club to retain the FA Cup in both 1962 and 1982.
The Saints' already tough cause was not helped when their giant Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi pulled a muscle taking a goal-kick and was taken off on a stretcher after 66 minutes to be replaced by Paul Jones. It was the first goalkeeping substitution in FA Cup final history.
At the other end, David Seaman, at 39 the oldest goalkeeper to play in the Cup final and the third oldest player ever, had a safe match, collecting his fourth FA Cup winners' medal in what could be his last game for the club.
Captaining his side to victory, he made one outstanding save from Brett Ormerod after 84 minutes but did not have much else to do. He had Ashley Cole to thank for keeping out Beattie's goalbound header after 94 minutes when the England defender cleared the ball off the line.
http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6457006%255E12428,00.html
