(London) Two goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave Arsenal the 14 th FA Cup in its history against Chelsea (2-1) and especially a place in the Europa League next season.
It is also the first trophy won by Mikel Arteta as a coach for his first half-season at the head of a pro team.
A great feat for the former midfielder, including Paris Saint-Germain, who trained alongside Pep Guardiola at Manchester City before taking over in December a drifting club, to whom he was able to give back a soul and a game identity.
In that final he won the tactical battle against Frank Lampard, who dreamed of ending his first season leading a Premier League team with a trophy.
Although it was aided by facts games - outputs injuries Cesar Azpilicueta (34 th ) and especially Christian Pulisic at the beginning of the second period (48 th ), or severe expulsion Matteo Kovacic to the 72 th - Arteta also won the battle of nerves.
PHOTO ADAM DAVY, REUTERS
Christian Pulisic needed the help of the trainers to leave the field.
We would have, indeed, badly imagined the Arsenal of Unai Emery recovering from this difficult start to the match which saw Chelsea open the scoring in the 5 th minute.
On an action while verticality and in two passes, Mason Mount was found on the left of the penalty area and his low cross was cleverly deflected by Olivier Giroud in the race of Christian Pulisic, who deceived Emiliano Martinez up close (0-1, 5 th ).
Chelsea then seemed to have got their hands on this final with perfect pressing and efficient forward play.
But the refreshment break in the heart of the first act totally took the Blues out of their game as Arsenal suddenly found consistency in their game.
Indispensable Aubameyang
And 60 seconds after a magnificent equalizer, with a shot coiled from 18 meters into the skylight, was denied to Nicolas Pépé, Aubameyang managed to take the best with a mixture of speed and body play on Azpilicueta who did not 'had other solutions than to make a mistake in its surface.
The Gabonese, who became the first African captain Saturday a finalist of the FA Cup, has transformed himself the penalty (1-1, 27 th ).
PHOTO CATHERINE IVILL, ASSOCIATED PRESS
During the second period, Arsenal played more against and on one of them, initiated by a furious rise of the side Hector Bellerin, Nicolas Pépé shifted Aubameyang to the left of the surface. The front center easily removed Kurt Zouma and stung the ball above Willy Caballero, preferred again to Kepa (2-1, 66 e ).
PHOTO ADAM DAVY, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored both Arsenal goals in the final.
This double represents Aubameyang's 28 th and 29 th goals in all competitions and especially his 69 th and 70 th goals since his arrival in London in February 2018. No English player has scored more than him over this period, not even Mohamed Salah (68).
Undoubtedly under the influence of emotion, the Gabonese international even dropped the trophy to the ground during the post-match celebration!
But anyway, Aubameyang, who had already been the executioner of Manchester City with a brace in the semi-finals (2-0), once again demonstrated Arsenal's incredible dependence on him, while its future remains uncertain.
For the Blues, who had already lost twice against Arsenal in the final of the FA Cup (2002, 2017), it will be necessary to “console themselves” with a place in the Champions League acquired through the championship (4 th ).
