Madferret
4-16-05, 12:41 PM
Arsenal reaches another FA Cup final
By ROBERT MILLWARD
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) - Substitute Robin van Persie scored twice in the last three minutes on Saturday as Arsenal beat Blackburn Rovers 3-0 to reach the FA Cup final for the fourth time in five years. The score was harsh on Blackburn's American goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who made three reaction saves.
French midfielder Robert Pires tapped in from close range three minutes before halftime to put the Gunners ahead at the Millennium Stadium. Van Persie, who only entered the game in the 83rd minute, rolled home the second goal with three minutes to go and then curled a left-foot strike into the top corner in injury time.
The Gunners will play their record 17th final against either Manchester United or Newcastle on May 21 at the Millennium Stadium. The other semifinal is at the same venue Sunday. Rovers challenged at every opportunity - often incurring free kicks - and Arsenal was rarely able to put moves together.
"I feel that Blackburn decided to stop us from playing at any cost," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. "I'm very proud that we, as such a young team, did not react at all. "That would have given them an advantage. Patrick (Vieira) was target in the first half and I was a bit scared about him."
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes dismissed suggestions his team played dirty.
"We tried to compete. I don't think we should be criticized for that," Hughes said. "We set out to try and make things difficult for them. Vieira is a big player, a big man and sometimes he has to expect that people will compete against him." Playing its fifth semifinal in a row and a record 25th, Arsenal had far more quality than Rovers even without Thierry Henry. The Premier League's top scorer was ruled out with a groin injury.
Still, Steven Reid stung the hands of Arsenal 'keeper Jens Lehmann with a 25-yard free kick, while Arsenal's first shot in an untidy first half was a low drive from Jose Antonio Reyes saved by Friedel. Friedel was then forced to make two standout saves within a second of each other to keep Arsenal out. When Dennis Bergkamp put Reyes through, the young Spaniard had only Friedel to beat from 10 yards.
Friedel stopped the shot with his right hand and recovered to dive at the feet of Robert Pires as he tried to force home the rebound. Wenger appeared furious with some of Blackburn's tackling, with Reyes, Vieira and Fredrik Ljungberg frequently fouled.
The breakthrough came in the 42nd minute and it followed a Blackburn foul. Bergkamp swung over a free kick from the right and, after Rovers failed to clear it, the ball came to Kolo Toure unmarked on the left. The central defender crossed low and, although Ljungberg failed to make contact, the ball came to Pires for a simple tap in at the far post.
Friedel kept Blackburn in contention three minutes into the second half with another good save when he pushed a shot from Gilberto Silva round the post. ventually, the American was beaten again. Van Persie turned past Todd to find himself clear of the Blackburn defence and put the ball past Friedel into the bottom corner of the net.
He scored again when Pires made an overlap down the left and pulled the ball back into the area, beating Friedel with an arcing shot. Turning to celebrate his second goal, Van Persie collided with Blackburn captain Andy Todd and wound up lying on the turf. "I feel he (Todd) will get the benefit of the doubt because it is difficult to prove he did it on purpose," said Wenger. "But I don't think he needed to lift his elbow."
By ROBERT MILLWARD
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) - Substitute Robin van Persie scored twice in the last three minutes on Saturday as Arsenal beat Blackburn Rovers 3-0 to reach the FA Cup final for the fourth time in five years. The score was harsh on Blackburn's American goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who made three reaction saves.
French midfielder Robert Pires tapped in from close range three minutes before halftime to put the Gunners ahead at the Millennium Stadium. Van Persie, who only entered the game in the 83rd minute, rolled home the second goal with three minutes to go and then curled a left-foot strike into the top corner in injury time.
The Gunners will play their record 17th final against either Manchester United or Newcastle on May 21 at the Millennium Stadium. The other semifinal is at the same venue Sunday. Rovers challenged at every opportunity - often incurring free kicks - and Arsenal was rarely able to put moves together.
"I feel that Blackburn decided to stop us from playing at any cost," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. "I'm very proud that we, as such a young team, did not react at all. "That would have given them an advantage. Patrick (Vieira) was target in the first half and I was a bit scared about him."
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes dismissed suggestions his team played dirty.
"We tried to compete. I don't think we should be criticized for that," Hughes said. "We set out to try and make things difficult for them. Vieira is a big player, a big man and sometimes he has to expect that people will compete against him." Playing its fifth semifinal in a row and a record 25th, Arsenal had far more quality than Rovers even without Thierry Henry. The Premier League's top scorer was ruled out with a groin injury.
Still, Steven Reid stung the hands of Arsenal 'keeper Jens Lehmann with a 25-yard free kick, while Arsenal's first shot in an untidy first half was a low drive from Jose Antonio Reyes saved by Friedel. Friedel was then forced to make two standout saves within a second of each other to keep Arsenal out. When Dennis Bergkamp put Reyes through, the young Spaniard had only Friedel to beat from 10 yards.
Friedel stopped the shot with his right hand and recovered to dive at the feet of Robert Pires as he tried to force home the rebound. Wenger appeared furious with some of Blackburn's tackling, with Reyes, Vieira and Fredrik Ljungberg frequently fouled.
The breakthrough came in the 42nd minute and it followed a Blackburn foul. Bergkamp swung over a free kick from the right and, after Rovers failed to clear it, the ball came to Kolo Toure unmarked on the left. The central defender crossed low and, although Ljungberg failed to make contact, the ball came to Pires for a simple tap in at the far post.
Friedel kept Blackburn in contention three minutes into the second half with another good save when he pushed a shot from Gilberto Silva round the post. ventually, the American was beaten again. Van Persie turned past Todd to find himself clear of the Blackburn defence and put the ball past Friedel into the bottom corner of the net.
He scored again when Pires made an overlap down the left and pulled the ball back into the area, beating Friedel with an arcing shot. Turning to celebrate his second goal, Van Persie collided with Blackburn captain Andy Todd and wound up lying on the turf. "I feel he (Todd) will get the benefit of the doubt because it is difficult to prove he did it on purpose," said Wenger. "But I don't think he needed to lift his elbow."