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GAME DETAILS
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FA Cup
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Attendance: 86,254
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0-1
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Ben Watson (90+1)
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Pablo Zabaleta (60), Matija Nastasic (75), Gareth Barry (87)
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Joel Robles (90+3)
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Pablo Zabaleta (84)
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DT92 Members at this game: (you can click here to load your profile picture) |
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Juanjo
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TonyP MCFC
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Bwfc1877
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Pieeater Damianmcentegart
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gashead eric
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Wigan Athletic claimed the first major trophy in their 81-year history when Ben Watson's last-minute goal won the FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.
Roberto Martinez's side produced a performance full of attacking intent and verve to fully deserve this historic win against firm pre-match favourites City, who had Pablo Zabaleta sent off six minutes from time.
Substitute Watson, who has missed much of the season after breaking his leg in November, sent Wigan's fans into ecstasy with a near-post header from Shaun Maloney's corner at the very moment the board went up to signal three minutes of stoppage time.
Image of Phil McNulty Phil McNulty
Chief football writer
If this FA Cup final was to be the beginning of the end for Roberto Martinez and Roberto Mancini, one was leaving on a magic carpet while the other was being smuggled out of the back door
The goal was just reward for Wigan, whose drive and intensity was in sharp contrast to the desperately lacklustre display served up by City as last season's Premier League champions end this campaign empty-handed.
It completed a miserable day for manager Roberto Mancini, which began with reports that was about to be sacked and replaced by Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini and ended with a defeat that left City's hierarchy looking on stone-faced from the Royal Box as Wigan celebrated.
Opposite number Martinez is also at the centre of speculation about his future as he has been linked with the forthcoming managerial vacancy at Everton - and his stock will have risen markedly now he has the FA Cup against his name.
Play media
Wigan 'deserved' FA Cup final victory - Martinez
And when this final is remembered, the performance of Wigan's Callum McManaman will be recalled alongside Watson's goal after a magnificent, and close to unplayable, display of wing play which gave City defender Gael Clichy a harrowing afternoon.
It was also a moment of sheer joy for Wigan chairman Dave Whelan, who broke his leg playing for Blackburn Rovers in the 1960 FA Cup final against Wolves at Wembley. He led the team out, then watched in delight as they lifted the treasured trophy.
Once the delight has died down, Wigan must focus on what Martinez insists has always been their main priority, ensuring they stay in the Premier League as they remain in the relegation zone with only two game remaining.
Mancini made one surprise selection decision as he replaced Romanian Costel Pantilimon - City's FA Cup goalkeeper throughout their run to Wembley - with first choice Joe Hart.
Jubilant Wigan
•Wigan are the 43rd club to win the FA Cup and Roberto Martinez becomes the second Spanish manager to lift the trophy
•The Latics had only one shot on target in the match, but scored with it to triumph
•No top-flight club has ever won the FA Cup and been relegated in the same season
It was his opposite number Joel Robles who was into the action first as he saved from Yaya Toure after Carlos Tevez's poor free-kick had been charged down.
After this uncertain start, however, Wigan visibly grew in confidence and produced a first-half display of real composure and enterprise, exemplified by the excellence of McManaman and James McArthur.
McManaman had the opportunity to put Wigan ahead after only nine minutes but chose to cut inside when a first-time shot might have been the better option, curling a left-foot effort wide.
For all Wigan's trademark comfort in possession, it was their keeper Robles who was busier in that first half. He used an outstretched leg to save Wigan as Tevez looked certain to score after he was set up by Samir Nasri and David Silva eight yards out.
Play media
Latics ecstatic: Wigan fans celebrate Cup win
McManaman was a threat once more as he evaded Hart and weaved his way around the area, only to see his goalbound effort blocked by Zabaleta.
City's threat was sporadic but Robles was still being made to work and he saved from Gareth Barry and Nasri as an entertaining first 45 minutes came to a close.
The favourites had more of a spring in their step in the moments after half-time and it took a crucial touch from Latics defender Emmerson Boyce to divert Sergio Aguero's glancing effort at the near post following good work by Tevez.
Mancini was visibly unhappy with some of City's work and he wasted no time in making his first change, sending on James Milner for Nasri after 53 minutes.
Analysis
Image of Robbie Savage Robbie Savage
BBC football expert
I'm close to the Man City camp and I was shocked when I heard the rumours about Roberto Mancini's future.
I think there's now more pressure on Mancini because he's lost the trophy today, but I believe he will be there next season. That's what I've heard. But today has put a huge dent in him going forward.
I think he deserves another year, one more crack, and being able to spend more money on better players. The thing that's cost Mancini is the players bought in the summer. Poor players.
The noise levels among the Wigan support rose every time the exciting McManaman got on the ball and it took a superb block from City captain Vincent Kompany to end another jinking run into the area.
Mancini made another, somewhat surprising, change with 21 minutes left when Jack Rodwell came on for Tevez and swiftly had a header that was clutched by Robles.
Wigan, to their immense credit, were refusing to take a backward step and gave City another anxious moment when Maloney's angled free-kick glanced off the bar.
City, who had struggled for rhythm all afternoon, were reduced to 10 men with six minutes remaining when Zabaleta was dismissed. It was a simple decision for referee Andre Marriner when the Argentine, played into trouble by Barry's careless pass, hauled down McManaman having earlier received a yellow card.
Then came the moment that will be recalled in Wigan forever. Watson escaped from Rodwell at the near post to meet Maloney's corner and history was made.
Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (4) Manchester City
01 Hart
04 Kompany
05 Zabaleta Dismissed after an earlier booking
22 Clichy
33 Nastasic Booked
08 Nasri (Milner - 54' )
18 Barry Booked (Dzeko - 90' )
21 Silva
42 Y Toure
16 Aguero
32 Tevez (Rodwell - 69' )
Substitutes
30 Pantilimon
06 Lescott
13 Kolarov
07 Milner
14 Garcia
17 Rodwell
10 Dzeko
Wigan Athletic
01 Robles Booked
03 Alcaraz
17 Boyce
04 McCarthy
10 Maloney
14 Gomez (Watson - 81' )
16 McArthur
18 Espinoza
33 Scharner
02 Kone
15 McManaman
Substitutes
26 Al Habsi
05 Caldwell
25 Golobart
08 Watson
20 Fyvie
09 Di Santo
11 Henriquez
Ref: Marriner
Att: 86,254
FA Cup final 2013: Man City 0-1 Wigan - A tale of two Robertos
Comments (129)
If this FA Cup final was to be the beginning of the end for Roberto Martinez and Roberto Mancini, one was leaving on a magic carpet while the other was being smuggled out of the back door.
Wigan Athletic manager Martinez apologised for his late arrival in Wembley's media theatre - sorry gents we're not used to celebrating - and declared he had watched movies with worse scripts than this truly remarkable tale.
History was written by Wigan when substitute Ben Watson glanced home Shaun Maloney's corner just as the board was hoisted for three minutes' stoppage time.
The entertaining and often mystifying team created by Spaniard Martinez had won their first major trophy in 81 years and put English football's most romantic piece of silverware alongside all those won by their Rugby League counterparts.
For Manchester City, it was sheer misery.
In football parlance, City barely turned up - and for Mancini the irritation at events on and off the pitch was all too plain to see.
The Italian awoke to reports that City had concluded a deal to replace him with Malaga's Manuel Pellegrini and the non-performance of his team darkened both his mood and his chances of keeping his job.
After insisting the reports were incorrect, he wavered somewhat and turned on Manchester City officials for not killing speculation when it started six months ago.
Whether this was clever timing moments after an empty-handed season was confirmed remains to be seen.
For Wigan and Martinez there was little other than unbridled joy - at least until Tuesday when they travel to Arsenal in their latest attempt to avoid relegation to the Championship.
Martinez likes to sign off his match notes with the Spanish phrase Sin Miedo - Without Fear - and if 90 minutes summed up that philosophy then this was it.
Wigan were magnificent. Fearless, refusing to take a backward step.
Play media
Wigan 'deserved' FA Cup final victory - Martinez
Composed in possession and, for once, fiercely disciplined at the back. They were truly worthy winners.
There was symmetry too. Only those inhabiting a different planet would not know chairman Dave Whelan felt he had unfinished business with this competition and venue after breaking his leg playing for Blackburn Rovers in the 1960 FA Cup final against Wolves.
Whelan had his moment here, leading the team out, then watching as the winner was scored by Watson, only just back after a broken leg sustained at Liverpool in November that was expected to rule him out for the season.
He was the goal hero but Wigan had excellence everywhere. James McArthur overshadowed Yaya Toure in midfield but the real star of this show was Callum McManaman.
It was not so long McManaman was being vilified for his challenge on Newcastle United's Massadio Haidara - but Martinez insisted this diamond was a special talent.
He is a diamond that is still rough around the edges but this was one of the stand-out FA Cup final performances.
McManaman took Gael Clichy to the cleaners with a display of wing play Manchester City's left-back will never forget, and not in a good way.
He was almost unplayable at times and it was no surprise he was the victim of Pablo Zabaleta's challenge that led to the Argentinian's second yellow card and dismissal.
The backdrop to this final was conjecture about the future of the two managers - so what will they face?
Martinez once more skirted around speculation linking him with replacing David Moyes at Everton but this was a display of tactical excellence and sheer positivity that makes a manager's stock rise.
He may yet take Wigan into the Championship but he has done something that means his name will never be forgotten there. He and his club chased an FA Cup dream and caught it at Wembley.
Play media
Latics ecstatic: Wigan fans celebrate Cup win
So much rests on Wigan's last two games. If they stay up, with European football secured, Whelan will have a stronger hand to play with his manager once the season ends.
If they do not then Martinez may finally be persuaded away and, make no mistake, players such as McManaman, James McCarthy, McArthur and Shaun Maloney will attract potentially irresistible interest.
For Everton owner Bill Kenwright, as he searches for his next manager, Wigan's victory means he could sell Martinez as a winner to any doubters. After all, he now has one more major trophy to his name than the departing David Moyes.
As Martinez said, these are discussions for another day. For now Wigan - a quirky, unpredictable team - deserve the highest praise.
For a side to play with such freedom of expression in a Wembley FA Cup final is a credit to themselves and their manager.
Mancini must now wait to see if reports of his demise are true but there has been no denial from City, which the Italian clearly feels there should have been. This lack of a denial may be for a very good reason.
City's supporters clearly sympathise with Mancini. His name rang out constantly at Wembley, along with the odd unflattering reference to Pellegrini.
It is a sign of the demands City now make that he faces such questioning two years after winning the FA Cup to secure their first major trophy in 35 years and only 12 months after winning their first Premier League title in 44 years.
Mancini cannot, however, complain too loudly about football's ruthless nature. After all, he was waiting in the wings to take over from Mark Hughes on the night he was sacked in December 2009.
All will be revealed but the mood music around Wembley struck a sombre note for Mancini - and Manchester City's players did not make an eloquent case in support of their manager.
Wigan's heroes mirrored the approach of manager Martinez. Sin Miedo from first whistle to last.
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scrotum
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mancityinleeds
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wiganer84
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What a day. WOn the FA Cup and deservedly so. Team played brilliantly and took Maisy. What memories.
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jackwigan
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