FA_Cup_Final_1997

1997 FA Cup final

1997 FA Cup final

Association football championship match between Chelsea and Middlesbrough, held in 1997

The 1997 FA Cup final was the 116th final of the FA Cup. It took place on 17 May 1997 at Wembley Stadium and was contested by Chelsea and Middlesbrough, the North East club appearing in its first FA Cup Final.

For the women's event, see 1997 FA Women's Cup final.
Quick Facts Event, Chelsea ...

Chelsea won 2–0 to win the FA Cup for the second time, the first having come in 1970. It was also the club's first major trophy in 26 years.

It was the first major honour in the career of most Chelsea's players, but for Mark Hughes, it was the fourth time that he had featured in an FA Cup winning side (having played on the winning Manchester United teams of 1985, 1990 and 1994).[1] For Middlesbrough, it was a second final defeat of the 1996–97 season (having lost the League Cup Final to Leicester City the previous month), to go with their controversial relegation from the Premier League.

Road to Wembley

Chelsea

Home teams listed first.

Round 3: Chelsea 3–0 W.B.A.

Round 4: Chelsea 4–2 Liverpool

Round 5: Leicester City 2–2 Chelsea

Replay: Chelsea 1–0 Leicester City

Quarter-Final: Portsmouth 1–4 Chelsea

Semi-Final: Wimbledon 0–3 Chelsea

(at Highbury, London)

Middlesbrough

Home teams listed first.

Round 3: Middlesbrough 6–0 Chester City

Round 4: Hednesford Town 2–3 Middlesbrough

Round 5: Manchester City 0–1 Middlesbrough

 

Quarter-Final: Derby County 0–2 Middlesbrough

Semi-Final: Chesterfield 3–3 Middlesbrough

(at Old Trafford, Manchester)
Replay: Middlesbrough 3–0 Chesterfield
(at Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield)

Match review

Chelsea took the lead just 43 seconds into the match, with Italian midfielder Roberto Di Matteo receiving the ball and firing it into the goal off the crossbar from 25 yards to record what was at the time the quickest ever goal in a Wembley FA Cup final (Louis Saha broke this record 12 years later in the 2009 final after just 25 seconds, coincidentally against Chelsea, though Chelsea won the match 2–1), breaking Jackie Milburn's 42-year record.[2] Middlesbrough's prolific striker Fabrizio Ravanelli limped off after 21 minutes, further diminishing his side's chances of victory. Late in the first half Gianluca Festa put the ball in the net for Middlesbrough, but the goal was controversially ruled out for offside. In a largely disappointing match, in which Chelsea were generally in control, Chelsea eventually added a second goal seven minutes from full-time with Eddie Newton steering the ball into the net from Gianfranco Zola's clever flick to seal a 2–0 win.[3]

Match details

More information Chelsea, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 79,160
Chelsea
Middlesbrough
GK30Norway Frode Grodås
RWB2Romania Dan Petrescu
CB6Scotland Steve Clarke
CB5France Frank LeboeufYellow card
CB20England Frank Sinclair
LWB17England Scott Minto
CM11England Dennis Wise (c)
CM16Italy Roberto Di MatteoYellow card
CM24England Eddie NewtonYellow card
CF10Wales Mark Hughes
CF25Italy Gianfranco Zoladownward-facing red arrow 89'
Substitutes:
GK13England Kevin Hitchcock
DF8England Andy Myers
FW9Italy Gianluca Vialliupward-facing green arrow 89'
Manager:
Netherlands Ruud Gullit
GK25England Ben Roberts
RB14Republic of Ireland Curtis Fleming
CB5England Nigel Pearson (c)
CB18Italy Gianluca FestaYellow card
LB17Wales Clayton Blackmore
RM10Brazil Juninho
CM8England Robbie Mustoedownward-facing red arrow 29'
CM6Brazil Emerson
LM20England Phil Stamp
CF11Italy Fabrizio Ravanellidownward-facing red arrow 24'
CF21England Craig Hignettdownward-facing red arrow 74'
Substitutes:
DF4England Steve Vickersupward-facing green arrow 29'
DF7Slovakia Vladimír Kinderupward-facing green arrow 74'
FW9Denmark Mikkel Beckupward-facing green arrow 24'
Manager:
England Bryan Robson

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Replay required if scores still level.
  • Three named substitutes.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Where are they now? Chelsea's 1997 FA Cup winners". FourFourTwo. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  2. [2]
    "ROBERTO'S QUICKIE MAKES ROBBO SICKIE!; Blue heaven in 43 seconds". The People (London). 18 May 1997. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  3. [3]
    "Blue what a scorcher!". Sunday Mirror. 18 May 1997. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
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