Christian Pulisic opened the scoring for Chelsea just 5 minutes into the first half but Arsenal pegged back through an Aubameyang penalty in the 28th minute. The Gunners’ skipper then struck again in the 67th minute to clinch the FA Cup and a Europa League spot for Arsenal.
Chelsea began brightly and looked the more positive side in the early exchanges. The first big chance of the game, however, came to Aubameyang who glanced his header wide from close range. Chelsea dominated proceedings after that with Pulisic opening the scoring, tucking in Giroud’s smart lay off after some brilliant play by Mason Mount just 5 minutes into the game. Arsenal struggled with possession but playing long diagonals from the back paid off for the Gunners. One such foray forward found Aubameyang running through on goal and Chelsea’s skipper Cesar Azpilicueta committed as referee Anthony Taylor awarded a contentious penalty. Gabonese striker Aubameyang stepped up to fire home the equaliser for Arsenal from the spot as the two teams went to halftime with nothing between them.
Chelsea bright start to the first half seemed a distant memory in the second half as Lampard’s team crumbled with injuries. Their skipper Azpilicueta was taken off late in the first half due to a hamstring issue. Soon after, one of their best players in Christian Pulisic also suffered a hamstring strain running through on goal and was substituted too.
Arsenal, who hadn’t particularly played well in the second half got the lead through two moment of sheer brilliance. Hector Bellerin made a marauding run down the middle and though Christensen put in a strong tackle to stop the Spaniard, the ball found Pepe on the wing. Pepe quickly teed up the onrushing Aubameyang with a brilliant cross field pass. The inspired skipper taking the ball in his stride, cut in to his right, feigning a shot that sold the Chelsea defender before cutting it out to his left foot and finishing the move with aplomb; clipping the ball past the hapless Chelsea keeper.
Chelsea’s misery imploded when Mateo Kovacic was given his marching orders for his second yellow in the 73rd minute. Lampard’s men threw the kitchen sink at Arsenal but the Gunners held on to their first piece of silverware since 2017.
With the win, Arteta bagged his first silverware as a head coach while the Gunners also qualify for the Europa League next season.
