THE EMIRATE FA-CUP LATTER STAGES

Founded in 1871, the FA Cup, known officially as The Football Association Challenge Cup is the most prestigious club cup competition in England and the oldest competition in the history of the sport. The competition proper runs from November to May and is open to any team from the top 10 leagues in England, with qualifying rounds taking place from the start of August for teams in lower leagues.

It is a straight knockout tournament with teams being drawn against each other from the first round all the way to the final, which takes place at Wembley Stadium. A record 763 teams competed during the 2011-12 season, with Arsenal winning the most titles overall since its inception.

Emirate FA Cup for the 2019/2020 season will be memorable in the mind of the football fans all over the world for some years to come. Not only because the Arsenal Football Club secure their fourteenth triumph in the cup competition but also, the day at which was the final played.

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On August 1, 2020, the final of the Emirate FA cup was played at the Wembley Stadium without a fan in attendance and the reason for the prolonged date was all because of the halt in footballing activities throughout the world due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Furthermore, the latter stage of the FA Cup saw a tweak in the substitution rule owing it to the stress and relaxation cause in the mid-season footballing halt which enables the participating team to make five substitutions instead of the traditional three. Also, the water break was introduced in the competition for both halves.

Beyond the staggering tweak of the rules to safeguard the player strength, injury-free and safety, Football Association in England had also ensured the completion of the competition, the latter stage of the FA Cup competition produced some scintillating matches that can’t be overlooked. Even if one does not feel talking about the matches focus. From the victory of the underdogs and total domination and resurgence of the Fly Emirates stadium club.

Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic pandemonium, the latter stages of the FA Cup embodied a philosophy, tactics, energy and firepower for the world to see why English club cups are just entertaining as the league competition.

The FA Cup 2019-20 quarter-final draw was held on Wednesday, March 4. Fixtures were scheduled to take place the weekend of March 21-22 but had to be rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Games were instead scheduled for the end of June.

However, this later latter saw some top-flight matches with the likes of Chelsea facing Leicester city at the king power stadium, Manchester City against Newcastle United at the St. James Park. But, it was fixtures between Sheffield United and Arsenal football that took the headline as the high flying Sheffield United was facing the Gunners.

Although the game finished in Arsenal favour as the result ended in 1-2. The gunners were consistently inconsistent but their eye on the Emirate re-emerged the new zeal in them as they triumph narrowly over The Blades at the Bramall Lane.

The Gunners, The Cityzens, Red Devil and the Blues all advanced to the next round of the competition. All worthy winners advance with a narrow win of one goal difference except the Cityzen who Newcastle United convincingly despite the goal margin between the two clubs not more than two goals.

The semifinal was touted to be sparkling and dazzling as the Old foes lock horns against each other looking to have the last laugh in the season over bitter rivals. The semifinal draw paired Chelsea against the Manchester United who has beaten The Blues on three occasions in the current campaign.

Manchester United was looking to establish a message to the rest of the English that their form is not alone on the rise but they could challenge for any trophy in the league in the coming years. But Chelsea, on the other hand, had a beauty of making their lukewarm season a successes story as they were fourth on the English Premier League, looking to cement their UEFA Champions League spot ahead of the Red Devil.

Although, Chelsea eventually won the tie with three goals to one. The schoolboy positioning of the Manchester United goalkeeper, ensure that the blues will take the first-half lead. Manchester United fought hard to restore the parity, but the Spanish goalkeeper ensures the spirit of the United players will be hampered once again as he committed a grave error to put the game beyond the fighting spirit of the United. Chelsea eventually won the game with three goals to one as Olivier Giroud, Mason Mount and the German defender gave Chelsea’s their much-coveted victory over United at the Wembley stadium.

Also, another headline match was the game between the master and the apprentice. Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta story as the later was named the boss of the Emirate stadium Club.

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The past meetings between the two clubs in recent times have always been in favour of Manchester city. Even, after the coronavirus pandemic break, Manchester City and Arsenal were the resumption cotton raiser and the Cityzens would win the Gunners comfortably with three goals to nil.

Many have believed that the result would be in favour of the Cityzens once again. The apprentice would have learned so well from his master ways just like Alexandre learnt from the great Plato and conquered.

The Spaniard learnt from his boss and make Pep Guardiola paid dearly as Arteta would ensure that Manchester city would eventually taste defeat at the Wembley after two and a half years of their unbeaten record at the stadium. The Gunners captain was the star of the tie as Aubameyang two goals was enough to send Manchester City packing from the tournament semifinals.

The final of the Emirate FA Cup was on history book as the Covid-19 ensure that the final of the oldest cup competition would take place in August rather than the traditional May ending.

Chelsea was at the form of their season as the Blues was producing the talking point. From dribbling, possession football, off the ball movement, constant passes exchanging and missing chance within the first few minutes of the game. But, Chelsea took the lead after five minutes thanks to a brilliantly-taken strike from Christian Pulisic – who became the first American to score in an FA Cup final.

Chelsea remained in the ascendancy as Arsenal took their time to grow, but the Gunners looked to have introduced themselves in spectacular fashion when Nicolas Pepe’s curled strike nestled in the top corner.

The Arsenal celebrations were short-lived though, with Aubameyang caught offside in the build-up, but seconds later the Gunners captain raced onto a ball over the Chelsea defence before being hauled to the ground by Azpilicueta.

Chelsea looked to reassert themselves in the game but their early of the American magician would spell a disaster for the Blues as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lashes onto the Nicolas Pepe pass after the Hector Belerin had ensured that Chelsea’s defence was left open. The Gabonese scored to make it 2-1 in favour of the Gunners. The victory over would make Arsenal won the FA Cup for the record of the fourteenth time

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