May
City 0 Wigan 1
May 11th 2013 86,254
FA Cup Final
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WH Smith and the City shop
Text
Hart 6, Zabaleta 6 Kompany 6, Nastasic 5.5, Clichy 5, Yaya Toure 5, Barry 5 (Dzeko) , Nasri 5 (Milner 6), Silva 7, Aguero 6.5, Tevez 7 (Rodwell 6)

This was a very poor display from City and Wigan certainly deserved their surprise victory. Wigan looked like a team that really wanted to win despite their relegation fears.
The pre-match rumors regarding the likely departure of Roberto Mancini with Pellegrini the clear favorite to take over did not help matters.
Yaya Toure and Barry in midfield were well below their best and even the back four had problems -Clichy was outpaced often. Lacking in pace with misplaced passes and often far too lethargic the City players let their supporters down badly with this display. It is obviously good for the FA Cup that an outsider can win despite the odds against them. It was expected that Mancini would continue next season as he has been a favorite with most of the City family and he did bring the league trophy to City last season and also a Cup win over Stoke so to finish second is not too bad. I think though our failure to progress in the Champions League despite the difficult group we were in has been the major factor. We will have to wait a few days to see what happens. So we are likely to have watched a Cup Final where both managers are due to leave their clubs as Roberto Martinez is likely to join Everton.

 

It was a 10 o'clock start for the coaches leaving the Etihad Stadium which looked very dismal in the poor weather
Quite a few coaches at our stop en route to Wembley
Both Wigan and City supporters mixed without any problems
An early arrival at Wembley under dark clouds and the threat of heavy rain
The Bobby Moore statue is always a good place to meet people and I spotted ex City manager Brian Horton
The stadium always looks very impressive but I wish the seats had been blue!
We were entertained by the Band of the Grenadier Guards
Moon beam meets the supporters
Supporters from the UAR enjoy the day
The Wigan players enjoy the feel of the Wembley turf and the atmosphere of the stadium
The City players warm up but I did not see them come onto the pitch after they arrived at the ground!
The ITV TV pundits include ex City manager Kevan Keegan
Free flags under the City seats helped to add to the atmosphere
The start of the pre game entertainment
not much sound from these violins
There was the odd banana to be seen among the City supporters
The atmosphere builds up as kick-off approaches
The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and Amore perform 'Abide with me'
The Cup is brought out
Amore sing the National Anthem
The City supporters give their team a welcome as they enter the pitch
The only City change from the expected team was Joe Hart in goal. It was thought Pantilimon who had played in all City's cup games would play in the Final
City won an early free-kick when Aguero was fouled by Boyce but the free kick taken by Tevez is blocked...
...followed up by a shot from Yaya Toure which is pushed aside by the keeper
After 8 minutes McManaman sent Nastasic the wrong way and curled a shot just past the post
a minute later and Tevez almost scored and then following up Tevez had a shot blocked only to find the flag had been up for offside against Zabaleta earlier!
Wigan were starting to run the midfield and City were being put under a lot of pressure
Nastasic manages to clear a difficult situation
On 35 minutes the ever dangerous McManaman broke away.......
...and he was faced with just Joe Hart who forced him ......
...to change direction nd eventually City managed to clear the danger
A header by Silva goes well wide
City had the odd attack but rarely troubled the Wigan keeper
Just before half time Nasri had a shot saved by Robles
As the City teal line-up one of the mascots is thought to have a problem! Surely he does not want to go to the toilet !!
Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan lead the Wigan team out.
A lot of the pre-match chat involves the future of City manager Mancini
Aguero just fails to finish off a cross by Tevez early in the second half
Wigan just manage to clear a City corner
Zabaleta gets a yellow card for a foul
City get a free kick but Minters cross fails to punish Wigan
Robles catches a corner
on 83 minutes Zabaleta brings down McManaman......
...and he gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
The resultant free kick goes wide
a few minutes later Barry gets booked for a foul and the free kick by Watson is blocked
Just on 90 minutes Clichy gives away a corner - there was a shout for a penalty .......-
Ben Watson evaded the attentions of Rodwell and with an excellent header put Wigan into the lead with only extra time to go!
The Wigan players and supported celebrated and as City failed to equalize in the additional time it was trophy time for Wigan and well deserved it was too s they out played City for much of the game
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