 The match programme cover | |||||||
| Event | 2001–02 FA Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 4 May 2002 | ||||||
| Venue | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal)[1] | ||||||
| Referee | Mike Riley (West Yorkshire) | ||||||
| Attendance | 73,963 | ||||||
| Weather | Partly cloudy 12 °C (54 °F)[2] | ||||||
The 2002 FA Cup final was a football match between Arsenal and Chelsea on 4 May 2002 at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. It was the final match of the 2001–02 FA Cup, the 120th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, the FA Cup. Arsenal were appearing in their fifteenth final to Chelsea's seventh.
As both teams were in the highest tier of English football, the Premier League, they entered the competition in the third round. Matches up to the semi-final were contested on a one-off basis, with a replay taking place if the match ended in a draw. Arsenal's progress was relatively comfortable; they knocked out the holders Liverpool in the fourth round, but needed a replay to beat Newcastle United. After overcoming replays in the first two rounds and a difficult tie against Preston North End, Chelsea recorded an impressive win against Tottenham Hotspur. Both teams won their semi-final match by a single goal.
Graeme Le Saux and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were passed fit for Chelsea, but John Terry was omitted from the starting lineup, having woken up ill on the morning of the final. For Arsenal, goalkeeper David Seaman came in place of Richard Wright, who deputised for him in the earlier rounds of the competition. Chelsea were led onto the field by Roberto Di Matteo, who had been forced to retire from football earlier in the season due to a serious injury. After an uneventful first half, Chelsea settled much the quicker of the two and created several chances to score. Arsenal withstood the pressure and took the lead in the 70th minute, when Ray Parlour scored from 25 yards. Freddie Ljungberg scored from a similar distance ten minutes later to double Arsenal's lead. The final score was 2-0 and Arsenal won their eighth FA Cup.
The final took place with one week remaining in the Premier League calendar. Arsenal beat Manchester United a few days later to regain the league title and complete their second and final league and cup double under manager Arsène Wenger.
- ^ Barclay, Patrick (5 May 2002). "One down, one to go for Arsene Wenger's side". The Sunday Telegraph. London. p. S3.
The only remaining task was for Freddie Ljungberg to round matters off – in a style that ought to have scared every England supporter a month before the World Cup encounter with Sweden – before scampering off to collect the man-of-the-match trophy.
- ^ "History for Cardiff-Wales, United Kingdom". Weather Underground. Retrieved 28 December 2014.