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| Arsenal |
The nine-year trophy drought is finally over for Arsenal fans. Despite a horrific start to the FA Cup final that saw Hull City score two goals in the first 10 minutes, Arsenal fought back to win silverware for the first time since 2005.
Hull held off the Gunners to push the game to extra time, but Arsenal won the game with a brilliant combination from Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey. After the match, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was overjoyed. The winning goal from Aaron Ramsey came after 108 minutes of a sensational match which began with Hull, in their first Cup final, scoring two early goals.
Arsenal halved the lead after 17 minutes when Santi Cazorla scored with a superb free kick.
The winner came when Ramsey scored off the outside of his right boot to give Arsenal an 11th FA Cup win, equalling Manchester United's all-time record.
It was the turning point in the life span of this team," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Chester, returning from injury, made the early breakthrough after Arsenal failed to clear a corner and the Hull defender planted the ball past Fabianski's despairing lunge.
Arsenal got back in the game after Bruce fouled Santi Cazorla about 25 metres from the Hull goal.
Arsenal Football Club are an English Premier League football club based in Holloway, London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, they have won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and a joint record 11 FA Cups.
Arsenal were founded in 1886 in Woolwich and in 1893 became the first club from the south of England to join the Football League. In 1913, they moved north across the city to Arsenal Stadium in Highbury. In the 1930s, they won five League Championship titles and two FA Cups. Arsenal are the fourth most valuable association football club in the world as of 2013, valued at more than $1.3 billion.
Arsenal Football Club were formed as Dial Square in 1886 by workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, south-east London, and were renamed Royal Arsenal shortly afterwards.
The club was renamed again to Woolwich Arsenal after becoming a limited company in 1893.
Arsenal appointed Herbert Chapman as manager in 1925. Having already won the league twice with Huddersfield Town in 1923–24 and 1924–25 (see Seasons in English football), Chapman brought Arsenal their first period of major success. Under his guidance Arsenal won their first major trophies – victory in the 1930 FA Cup Final preceded two League Championships, in 1930–31 and 1932–33. After the war, Arsenal enjoyed a second period of success under Allison's successor Tom Whittaker, winning the league in 1947–48 and 1952–53, and the FA Cup in 1950. Arsenal began winning silverware again with the surprise appointment of club physiotherapist Bertie Mee as manager in 1966. After losing two League Cup finals, they won their first European trophy, the 1969–70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Arsenal won the League Cup in 1987, Graham's first season in charge.
Graham's Arsenal won another title in 1990–91, losing only one match, won the FA Cup and League Cup double in 1993, and a second European trophy, the European Cup Winners' Cup, in 1994.
Arsenal won a second League and Cup double in 1997–98 and a third in 2001–02. In addition, the club reached the final of the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup (losing on penalties to Galatasaray), were victorious in the 2003 and 2005 FA Cups, and won the Premier League in 2003–04 without losing a single match, an achievement which earned the side the nickname "The Invincibles".
Arsenal reached the final of the 2007 and 2011 League Cups, losing 2–1 to Chelsea and Birmingham City respectively. The club had not gained a major trophy since the 2005 FA Cup. Arsenal won the 2014 FA Cup Final against Hull City, finishing 3-2 after coming back from 0-2. This was Arsenal's first trophy since 2005.
Arsenal's tally of 13 League Championships is the third highest in English football, after Manchester United (20) and Liverpool (18) while the total of 11 FA Cups is a the joint highest with Manchester United Arsenal have achieved three League and FA Cup "Doubles" (in 1971, 1998 and 2002), a feat only previously achieved by Manchester United (in 1994, 1996 and 1999),
and in 1993 were the first side in English football to complete the FA Cup and League Cup double. Arsenal were also the first London club to reach the final of the UEFA Champions League, in 2006, losing the final 2–1 to Barcelona.
Arsenal have one of the best top-flight records in history, having finished below fourteenth only seven times. Arsenal also have the highest average league finishing position for the 20th century, with an average league placing of 8.5. In addition, they are one of only six clubs to have won the FA Cup twice in succession, in 2002 and 2003.
Arsenal also hold the record for the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League at 49 games, and are the only team to have gone an entire Premier League season unbeaten in 2003–04.
