READING KEEPER’S FA CUP DESPAIR
Despair for Reading underdogs as goalkeeper’s error sends Arsenal to the f inal in extra-time
THE league title slipped away as the brilliant blue sky over Wembley began to dim with the onset of evening and news arrived from Stamford Bridge that Chelsea had beaten Manchester United.
Arsenal let it go. They were in the grip of a desperate battle to cling on to their dream of winning the FA Cup for the second year in succession — locked in a grim extra-time, semi-final struggle with Reading.
But just before the extra time interval, the cruelty of football struck Reading down. Alexis Sanchez cut in from the left and fired in a low, stinging shot.
Adam Federici, the Reading goalkeeper, the best professional at the club, a man who had made several outstanding saves during the game, crouched to gather the ball only for it to squirm through his legs and roll agonisingly over the line.
At the final whistle, inconsolable, he headed for the tunnel in tears.
Federici deserved better than that. So did Reading. But for Arsenal, it was enough. They held on as Reading poured forward and now, when they face either Liverpool or Aston Villa here in the final next month, they will be bidding to become the most successful team in the history of this famous competition. For a long time, Arsenal clung to their FA Cup victory in 2005 as the last vestige of a half-forgotten supremacy. It was the memory that just about sustained them through the lean times.
Last year, their extra-time victory over Hull City ended the drought and bought Arsene Wenger a little time as the movement to unseat him at The Emirates swelled. It was still only the FA Cup but it was a consolation prize. Now there is a feeling an era of Arsenal glory may be just around the corner.
After some uncompromising opening exchanges that left Arsenal’s forwards in little doubt they were in for a combative evening, the Premier League side forced the first opportunity of the game from a corner. Per Mertesacker rose to meet it at the near post and Federici had to dive smartly to his left.
Reading held firm but Arsenal started to exert more and more pressure. Mesut Ozil, in particular, was a delight to watch in possession. There are increasing signs that the German is finally beginning to find his best form and he beguiled Reading with a series of sweet turns and beautifully measured passes.
One Ozil turn and pass led to Danny Welbeck being upended on the edge of the Reading box midway through the half and Ozil took the free kick from a similar position to the one from which he scored against Liverpool earlier this month. This time, his curling effort sailed just wide. Another sublime piece of skill unlocked Reading ten minutes later. Santi Cazorla was the provider, threading a delicious through-ball between the Reading centre backs’ high line and into the space behind.
Sanchez ran on to it and when he clipped the ball past Federici, the Reading keeper appeared to clip his foot inadvertently. Sanchez went down but did not appeal. Reading escaped.
As half time approached, though, Arsenal were beginning to grow frustrated. It was not that Reading were offering a threat. It was more that the ploy of starting Welbeck in attack ahead of Olivier Giroud was not working. Welbeck was ineffectual. Sometimes he looks like a foal which has not quite gained control of its legs. This was one of those days.
But then, seven minutes before the interval, Arsenal broke the stalemate. It was Ozil, inevitably, who was the inspiration. He collected the ball midway inside the Reading half and flighted a curling ball to Sanchez in the box.
Sanchez did the rest, although the rest was not simple. He controlled the ball on his chest with his back to goal, turned and committed Garath McCleary by shaping to shoot. Then, with time, the Chilean forward prodded the ball past Federici and wheeled away to celebrate.
It seemed that Arsenal would extend their lead. Reading’s threat had been negligible. But they came out for the second half with new belief and to the delight of their fans massed behind the goal, they forced an equaliser.
Pavel Pogrebnyak must take a lot of the credit for squeezing in a cross when it looked like he had run out of space. The ball drifted over Gibbs’ head and as Wojciech Szczesny scrambled across his line, McCleary volleyed the ball back. Szczesny gathered, but had not been able to prevent the ball crossing the line.
It is easy to forget sometimes how many instances like this turned into major controversies before the advent of goal-line technology. The innovation, long overdue, has helped to prevent many an injustice.
Suddenly, Reading wanted more. Jamie Mackie twisted and turned his way to the byline and clipped a lovely chip into the path of Danny Williams on the edge of the box. It
was a good chance and fell nicely but Williams fluffed it, slicing his volley wildly wide.
Arsenal tried to regroup. Substitute Gabriel met a corner at the near post with a thumping header that Federici kept out with a quite stunning, one-handed save.
Soon after that, Wenger replaced Welbeck with Giroud. Seconds later, Gabriel headed over from an Ozil free kick.
The game was harum-scarum now. Reading sensed an upset. Mackie urged the fans on and they roared back. It had become a test of forti- tude for Arsenal. Sanchez overhit a pass to Giroud that would have put him through. Sanchez checked when he seemed to be clear and laid the ball back for Ozil, who blazed over.
Six minutes from the end of normal time, Reading had a great escape as Aaron Ramsey poked the ball goalwards. Federici blocked it but it rebounded to Ramsey who now had the goal at his mercy. He lashed in a left-foot shot but, to general disbelief, it crashed against the post.
Ramsey held his head in his hands but redemption was not far away.