Against the odds, Wigan Athletic have beaten Manchester City in the FA Cup final. It was a final full of intrigue where both teams punched and counter punched before substitute Ben Watson won the game for Wigan with the only goal in injury time. This came after City were reduced to ten men after Pablo Zabaleta became only the third man to ever be sent off in a FA Cup final.
From the beginning, Manchester City didn't play the match how the script suggested; using their flamboyant talent to rip open the leaky Wigan defence and score numerous goals. In fact, it looked like a very lethargic and almost uncaring Manchester City. It may have been because the press were full of reports that Roberto Mancini will be getting sacked, to which the Italian rubbished after the match. But something wasn't quite there for City.
With the FA Cup sporting sky blue ribbons before a ball was kicked, it looked like it could have been an ominous omen especially when Joel Robles was called in to action early on from a Yaya Tour shot which the Spaniard managed to parry to safety.
Wigan were solid enough during the first period and would being creating chances of their own. Callum McManaman was unbelievable down the wing for Wigan all game and he made Gael Clichy look rather invisible. The Liverpudlian had the opening chance for Wigan in the first half when he ghosted in to the box before cutting back and just not putting enough curl on to his effort as it went wide.
Arouna Kone also had a couple of shots that didn't trouble the goal but Wigan were looking comfortable in possession, even if they went backwards during a lot of the time. City's glittering chance fell to Carlos Tevez who had a go from six yards. Joel was diving to his left and if Tevez had shot in to that corner he probably would have still scored. But the Argentine tried to hit it back across Joel but the Spaniard managed to swing his outstretched leg to deflect the ball over his goal.
Wigan thought that they should have had a penalty late on in the first half when Roger Espinoza dramatically went over under a Pablo Zabaleta challenge. There was contact but the ball looked to have rolled too far for the Honduran and the manner in which he fell to floor may have put doubts in to Andre Marriner's head.
City's attacking fell extremely quiet in the second half as Wigan began to boss it. McManaman was again causing all sorts of problems and drew the two yellow cards in the match. But neither keeper was really tested for much of the second half despite the attacking play.
That was until the last ten minutes when a late free-kick, won by McManaman, was taken by Shaun Maloney and it hit the top of the bar. City's task got harder with six minutes to go as McManaman looked to be breaking through. The winger just clipped the ball past the sliding Argentinian and Zabaleta couldn't avoid smashing in to McManaman. Zabaleta had already been booked and Marriner had no option but to brandish a second yellow and send the defender off.
The winner eventually came in the first minute of injury time from a corner, won by McManaman. Maloney whipped the ball in and substitute Watson managed to beat Jack Rodwell to the front post and sent his header past Joe Hart.
Wigan were going to be in Europe regardless of the result but they've managed to do it by winning the FA Cup for the first time in their history. Sadder history could be made though as Wigan could become the first team to lift the FA Cup yet still get relegated. It's also possibly a happy outcome for David Moyes who will now take charge of his first senior Manchester United match against Wigan in next season's Community Shield.
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