Sanchez sends Arsenal into FA Cup final with win over City

But Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge of City will end without silverware, and he even faces a fight for a Champions League spot. That’s not what City was expecting when it hired the serial winner who had won titles in every campaign with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

But Guardiola was outwitted by Wenger, who has adopted the three-man defence that has served the Premier League’s top two teams, Chelsea and Tottenham, so well this season.

“Maybe we found in a period we needed a bit more security … a bit more defensive stability,” Wenger said.

Uncharacteristically, Arsenal’s defence was holding up strongly, denying City space to threaten Petr Cech’s goal. For an hour at least, until the Gunners were caught out by a ruthless counterattack.

Aaron Ramsey conceded possession on the edge of the City penalty area as he dithered on the ball. Yaya Toure intercepted and quickly chipped the ball over the Arsenal defence to Sergio Aguero. The Argentine raced past Rob Holding and Cech, who had been too slow off his line, watched helplessly as the ball was chipped over him into the net in the 62nd minute.

It was the striker’s 14th goal in 15 FA Cup games, and a painful sight for Ramsey who covered his face with his jersey as the City fans celebrated.

This wasn’t one of those days Arsenal capitulated, instead drawing level in the 71st minute from an unlikely source. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain crossed to the far post and Monreal demonstrated his ability by volleying past goalkeeper Claudio Bravo with his weaker right foot.

Monreal’s third goal in four years at Arsenal came close to being wiped out. Only the woodwork spared Arsenal, with Toure’s shot beating a diving Cech before hitting the post and Fernandinho heading onto the crossbar.

Having forced extra time, Arsenal displayed the resolve lacking so often this year to turn the semifinal around.

Sanchez came through for Arsenal in extra time, just as he did for the joint-record 12-time FA Cup winners in the 2015 semifinal, producing a winner in the 101st minute. Mesut Ozil’s free kick was headed down by Rob Holding, Danny Welbeck missed his attempt but Sanchez demonstrated his poacher’s instinct to nudge the ball over the line.

“Our league form has not been good enough and obviously we are disappointed with how that’s gone,” Oxlade-Chamberlain said. “This was something we could hold onto for the fans. It was important we got to the final.”

Rob Harris, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Sanchez sends Arsenal into FA Cup final with win over City

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