E-Paper
Drogba shoots down Gunners in FA Cup
Guus Hiddink enhanced his reputation as the Midas man of management by leading Chelsea to the FA Cup final after a nervy 2-1 victory over Arsenal on Saturday.
Guus Hiddink enhanced his reputation as the Midas man of management by leading Chelsea to the FA Cup final after a nervy 2-1 victory over Arsenal on Saturday.
The Dutchman, appointed on an interim basis at Stamford Bridge following Luiz Felipe Scolari's sacking in February, will now stay in west London until at least 30 May thanks to Didier Drogba's late goal which decided a hard-fought semi-final at Wembley.
Hiddink has injected belief and resolve into a side which was sliding towards mediocrity on his arrival, and it displayed those two qualities here. Chelsea fought back superbly from Theo Walcott's early goal, with Florent Malouda levelling before half-time and Drogba netted an 84th-minute winner.
That comeback ensured a miserable first visit to Wembley for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman saw his worst fears about the English national stadium's pitch realised — it cut up badly from the first whistle — but of more concern will be the impact this defeat has on a side which had been flooded with confidence.
