Chapter 149: The Celebration of the First Half
Xiao Qing and his team-mates are ready to win the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, and they will come out on top. Arsenal will have two games in a row at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup and Champions League finals, and they will win both games and they will make Wembley Stadium a landmark for Arsenal!
Just one minute into the game, Arsenal threatened, first Xiao Qing's shot from the penalty area was blocked by the Stoke City defender, and then Xiao Qing's header from a corner went just over the crossbar. Xiao Qing's continuous threatening shots made the atmosphere at Wembley Stadium quickly burst out, Xiao Qing's active performance proved that he is in good shape now, which also means that this game will definitely not be calm!
In the early stages of the game, both sides had a relatively fast tempo in attack and defence. In the seventh minute, Stoke City crossed from the left, and Jones' header in the box failed to reach Liliang. A minute later, Nasri went straight down the left and Xiao Qing shot into the box from a tight angle was blocked by Stoke City goalkeeper Sorensen. In the 10th minute, Robin van Persie broke through and caused a foul, and Arsenal won a good free-kick at the edge of the box, but Van Persie's free-kick went over the crossbar.
After that, Arsenal continued to dominate the field, and with Arsenal's tempo, Stoke City even struggled to organise an effective counter-attack. This is what everyone could have expected before the game, Arsenal have been excellent and in a game like this, as long as the Arsenal players don't make mistakes or slack off themselves, they will definitely be the winners of this game, and they will certainly not give Stoke City more chances. And now Arsenal are in control of the tempo of the game. It's also basically an option, Arsenal won't be too far away from scoring. Now they have begun to suppress Stoke City. For Stoke City, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to keep Arsenal at bay.
Xiao Qing is very excited now, he knows that Stoke City is becoming more and more passive and difficult to stop under the offensive of his own team, this is a good opportunity for Arsenal; Perhaps it only takes another powerful impact for Stoke City to be completely defeated by Arsenal, which will be a victory for Arsenal, a step closer to winning the FA Cup!
In the twentieth minute of the game, Arsenal won a free kick on the right side of the penalty area. Cesc Fabregas quickly whipped in a very average free-kick from this position; This was a tactical free kick, Xiao Qing got the ball in front of the penalty area and went directly into the penalty area. Without waiting for Stoke City's bag to be in place, Xiao Qing directly kicked the ball under the harassment of Stoke City's defender Hut!
Wembley Stadium was startled, then erupted in frantic cheers; Stoke City goalkeeper Sorensen's movements were half a beat slower, Xiao Qing's shot flew into the goal quickly, and Arsenal took a 1-0 lead!
Xiao Qing is still very excited, and scoring a goal also means that Arsenal now has the initiative in the game, and now the team has taken the lead in the score, which also means that Arsenal will have more advantages and initiative, and they have already laid the initial victory. This game will be a great victory for Arsenal, and the FA Cup trophy is already beckoning for Arsenal not far away. The Gunners are about to claim another trophy this season!
Although the strength of Stoke City is very average, the meaning of this goal is very different, so the Arsenal players are still very excited, they are all very excited to celebrate this goal, they are very excited for the team to become the champion; It is also more looking forward to the next game, now that the team has taken the lead, then Arsenal want to continue to work hard and win by a big score in the final, which will definitely be an extremely exciting victory; Stoke City's strength is very average, and Arsenal are a little unwelcome to Stoke City, so they don't need any reservations at all, and Arsenal will be good at playing in this game.
Having taken the lead, Arsenal's players are even more demoralized; The Gunners are working hard at the moment and they will be hoping to push harder in the next games and they will be hoping to put together a big win. It's not that a goal isn't unsafe, it's that Arsenal's players aren't satisfied; Stoke City is just a very average opponent, Arsenal don't think Stoke City can have a chance to turn the tables in the hands of Arsenal, Arsenal hopes to play their own crazy victory in the game, this is the key!
Arsenal's strength continued, and after taking the lead, Arsenal completely suppressed Stoke City; The game restarted, and Arsenal once again threatened the Stoke City goal; Stoke City were tackled just after the kick-off, and Arsenal launched a counter-attack, Nasri crossed from the left, and Van Persie's scramble shot did not hold Liliang down, and the ball went over the crossbar. Three minutes later, Cesc Fabregas broke through and fired a powerful long-range shot wide of the back of the net, and the Arsenal players were in a happy mood and slowly settled into position to prepare for the defence.
Stoke City completely lost the rhythm of the game, under Arsenal's strong attack, Stoke City did not have the ability to counterattack at all, they can only passively participate in the defense again and again, they have to grit their teeth and hold on now; It's just that in the face of Arsenal's increasingly ferocious attack, Stoke City really can't hold on for long now.
In the 32nd minute, Stoke City's two midfielders chose to attack the goal, first Whelan's long-range shot slid out of the goal, and then Etherington's free-kick was too angled and was directly saved by Szczesny. Stoke City really don't have too many ways to attack, their current attacking rhythm is completely disrupted, they don't have much chance and ability to threaten. The Gunners are now confident, although Stoke City has caused two counterattacks in a row, but Arsenal still firmly grasp the initiative of the game, they will not allow Stoke City any chance to fight back now, they firmly hold the initiative of the game in their own hands.
In the 35th minute of the game, Arsenal counter-robbed in front, Xiao Qing dribbled the ball near the penalty area line and no one interfered, and his right-footed shot was saved by Sorensen. Three minutes later, Cesc Fabregas fired a long-range shot that missed the stands. In the 40th minute, Van Persie quickly swept the penalty area from the left, and Shawroos cleared the ball and almost scored an own goal.
In the face of Arsenal's attack, Stoke City is really powerless, Xiao Qing and his teammates are becoming more and more active, in this case, Arsenal is actually not too far away from scoring again; The Gunners continue to hold Stoke City at bay and Arsenal continue to be strong in creating more chances on goal.
In the 43rd minute of the game, Arsenal looked very leisurely and comfortable with continuous passing and cutting the ball to the front; Cesc Fabregas, who was holding the ball in the middle, suddenly moved the ball to the right side in a large area, and the little tiger Walcott broke through quickly and went down. The arc of the ball is very high, and the landing point of the ball may be in front of the small penalty area; The players of both teams are staring at the ball with their heads up, and they are all fighting hard for the top. At this time, the cries of Wembley Stadium suddenly became louder; Xiao Qing rushed into the small penalty area at high speed in the back row, jumped far away, and glided more than a meter in the air, Xiao Qing pressed Stoke City defender Xiao Cross's heavy header!
The Stoke City players protested, they thought that Xiao Qing's header was also suspected of being fouled this time, look at Xiao Cross who was knocked to the ground, it was an obvious foul; In fact, more importantly, because Xiao Qing's header smashed into the goal, if the referee this time determines that the goal is valid, then it is basically completely announced that Stoke City will be the death penalty in this FA Cup final, and they will be two goals behind in the score when they are already at an absolute disadvantage!
Xiao Qing turned around slowly, looked back at Xiao Cross, who fell to the ground and patted the turf in annoyance, and Xiao Qing, who pouted, tapped his index finger; This is a valid goal, Xiao Qing doesn't think that his attack this time has any suspicion of fouling, he can only say that Xiao Cross was careless, he didn't expect Xiao Qing to rush into the penalty area like this powerful header!
The referee's finger circled, and the cheers at Wembley Stadium, which was originally cheering enthusiastically, became even more enthusiastic; 2-0, Arsenal has a two-goal lead in the game, and Arsenal took a two-goal lead in the first half of the game, which basically announced Arsenal's victory in this FA Cup final, and they will easily win the FA Cup final!
Arsenal's players are excited, the Gunners are now getting closer and closer to winning the game, and the Gunners are already in the absolute lead in the first half; Arsenal's players have reason to be excited, although the strength of the opponent is very average, but this is the final, Arsenal does not care who the opponent is, as long as the team can win and win the championship is enough for Arsenal.
"Champions, we are champions!" The Arsenal players in the dressing room were celebrating, not because the Arsenal players were excited too early, but because this game was a sure game for Arsenal, they didn't think the victory would slip out of their hands, and they didn't think that Stoke City would be able to make an incredible comeback in the second half of the game.
Arsene Wenger didn't have much warning at this time, he believed in the team's ability to take chances, he believed that the Arsenal players would not let the victory slip out of their hands, Arsenal are now chasing a big win, even if they are now two goals ahead, but the Gunners are still working hard; Celebration is celebration, and Arsenal will continue to work hard in the second half. (To be continued......)