FA Cup Final 2005 – Goalless after 90 minutes
FA Cup Final 2005
Starting line ups
Onslaught continues in 2nd half
Extra time and penalties
More Classic Matches
United goalkeeper, Carroll has to make his first save of the game eight minutes into extra time. Arsenal youngster, Robin van Persie, who had replaced Fàbregas in normal time, had been fouled by Silvestre on the edge of the area.
Van Persie took the free kick himself and forced a fine save from Carroll.
United regained control though and their players were appealing for a penalty when a cross was blocked by Cole. However the referee said it had struck Cole’s body, not his hand.
They had another couple of chances in the first period of extra time with Scholes forcing a good save from Lehmann and van Nistelrooy heading the ball over the bar.
2nd period of extra time
Within a minute of the restart, United created another chance. Ryan Giggs , who had come on for Fletcher, did well to set up van Nistelrooy, but the Dutchman tried to back heel the ball and wasted the chance.
Arsenal had a chance to nick it when van Persie found Ljungberg with a free kick, but the Swedish midfielder hit his shot over the bar.
With the players getting tired, Ronaldo continued to cause problems and two Arsenal players were cautioned for fouling the United winger. Firstly, Vieira was booked and a few minutes later, Reyes fouled Ronaldo and was sent off after receiving his second booking of the game.
It was the last action of extra time and the match headed for penalties after finishing goalless.
Penalty Shootout
The first two penalties of the shootout were both scored. First van Nistelrooy sent Lehmann the wrong way, then Lauren did the same to Carroll.
Scholes was the second to step up for United. He hit the ball to the left of the goal but it was too close to Lehmann, who guessed right and saved the kick. Ljungberg then put Arsenal ahead with a cheeky chip down the middle of the goal.
Two confident penalties from Ronaldo and van Persie followed to make the score 3-2 to Arsenal. Rooney and Cole also found the net with well taken penalties.
Arsene Wenger lifted the FA Cup for the fourth time in 2005 – the last trophy he has won to date.
So with Arsenal leading 4-3, it was down to the two captains. First, Keane of United. He placed his kick into the bottom corner to give his side hope. However, that hope was quashed when Vieira hit a great penalty past Carroll, who had guessed the right way.
The end of an era
It turned out to be the Frenchman’s last ever kick in an Arsenal shirt and it robbed the Gunner’s great rivals of a deserved victory. It was the last time Arsenal won a trophy with many citing the fact that Arsenal lost several key players such as Vieira and failed to replace them with equal quality, as the reason for their drought.
By contrast, United didn’t have to wait long before they were winning major trophies again. They picked up three more league titles and a Champions League before the decade was out.
FA Cup Final 2005
Starting line ups
Onslaught continues in 2nd half
Extra time and penalties
More Classic Matches
