Aubameyang stuns City as Arsenal reach record 21st FA Cup final
Arsenal reached an archive 21st FA Cup final as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's double clinched a shock 2-0 win over holders Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta outwitted City manager Pep Guardiola with an astute counter-attacking scheme and Aubameyang struck in each half as Arsenal executed the program to perfection.
Arsenal will face Chelsea or Manchester United, who meet in the other semi-final on Sunday, in the ultimate at Wembley on August 1.
Arteta captained Arsenal to FA Cup triumph six years back and, in his first season responsible for the north London club, the Spaniard has led them back again to the final of a competition they last won in 2017.
Just days after beating Premier League champions Liverpool, Arsenal offered further evidence that Arteta may be the man to revive them to the glory days of the Arsene Wenger era.
Arteta had fired a warning shot to Arsenal's board in midweek when he admitted he was concerned about his club's capability to spend enough to carefully turn them into title contenders.
On the data of the canny way he got one over on Guardiola, Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke would be wise to give the man he hired in December an opportunity to show what he can do with a rebuilt team.
Arsenal had lost their previous seven meetings with City, including a 3-0 drubbing in their first game following the coronavirus hiatus.
City were unbeaten within their past nine matches at Wembley but, because of Arteta's masterstroke, Arsenal handed Guardiola's side an initial defeat there because the 2017 FA Cup semi-final against the Gunners.
With second place in the Premier League secured, City need to concentrate on the resumption of their Champions League challenge in August, if they defend a 2-1 first leg lead against Real Madrid within the last 16.
City bossed the first exchanges to this extent that that they had amassed 83 percent possession after ten minutes.
But Arteta knows City well after his time as Guardiola's assistant and he attempt to exploit their weakness against counter attacks, using Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe to get behind City's attacking full-backs Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy.
- Rope-a-dope plan -
Arsenal must have been ahead when David Luiz chosen Aubameyang, who wastefully shot straight at Ederson with only the keeper to beat.
It had been a warning City didn't heed and Aubameyang made them pay in the 19th minute.
At the climax of an 18-pass move, Pepe's deep cross caught Walker dozing and Aubameyang eluded him to slide an excellent end the far post from a good angle.
It was the sort of incisive, imaginative attack that City usually torment Arsenal with, but also for once it was the men in red celebrating.
The Gabon striker's 24th goal of the growing season was a reminder why Arsenal are so desperate to get him to sign a contract extension.
Urging Arsenal to "get the ball, get the ball" at every opportunity, Arteta's intensity on the touchline was matched by his players.
City, unbeaten within their previous 22 domestic cup ties, were well short of their finest.
Raheem Sterling wasted a golden possibility to equalise when he shot wide from Kevin De Bruyne's pass.
City finally tested Emiliano Martinez for the very first time as Riyad Mahrez's low strike forced an outstanding one-handed stop from the Arsenal keeper.
De Bruyne's free-kick curled just wide before VAR rejected Sterling's penalty appeal after Mustafi seemed to trip the winger.
Defending deep, Arsenal were putting their bodies in the form of everything to keep City away.
Even Luiz, much maligned for a terrible display in Arsenal's last ending up in City, was near the top of his game and Arteta's rope-a-dope plan brought a rich reward in the 71st minute.
City left themselves open at the trunk and Aubameyang beat the offside trap as he accelerated onto Kieran Tierney's sublime pass before slotting under Ederson.
