Arsenal v Reading, 18 April 2015

Score2-1 to Arsenal
RefereeMartin Atkinson
CompetitionFA Cup Semi-final
VenueWembley Stadium
Attendance84,081

View Arsenal v Reading head to head

After extra time - 1-1 at 90 minutes. Kick-off: 5.20pm

2 Arsenal

1 Reading

Goals:

Alexis Sánchez 39 G
Alexis Sánchez 105 G

Goals:

Garath McCleary 54 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny
Defender Laurent Koscielny
Defender Per Mertesacker
Defender/Midfielder Mathieu Debuchy
Defender/Midfielder Kieran Gibbs
Midfielder Francis Coquelin
Midfielder Mesut Özil
Midfielder Aaron Ramsey
Midfielder Santi Cazorla
Midfielder/Forward Alexis Sánchez
Forward Danny Welbeck

Starting lineup:

Adam Federici Goalkeeper
Chris Gunter Defender
Alex Pearce Defender
Nathaniel Chalobah Defender/Midfielder
Michael Hector Defender/Midfielder
Jordan Obita Defender/Midfielder
Danny Williams Midfielder
Jamie Mackie Midfielder/Forward
Garath McCleary Midfielder/Forward
Pavel Pogrebnyak Forward
Hal Robson-Kanu Forward

Substitutions:

Gabriel Paulista for Per Mertesacker 63
Olivier Giroud for Danny Welbeck 72
Theo Walcott for Francis Coquelin 101

Substitutions:

Jem Karacan for Hal Robson-Kanu 90
Simon Cox for Nathaniel Chalobah 106
Yakubu for Pavel Pogrebnyak 111

Cards:

Gabriel Paulista 108 Y

Cards:

Nathaniel Chalobah 45 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper David Ospina
Defender Gabriel Paulista
Defender Nacho Monreal
Midfielder Mathieu Flamini
Midfielder Jack Wilshere
Midfielder/Forward Theo Walcott
Forward Olivier Giroud

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen
Defender Jake Cooper
Defender Stephen Kelly
Midfielder Jem Karacan
Midfielder Oliver Norwood
Forward Simon Cox
Forward Yakubu

Comments:

This was Arsenal's 28th FA Cup Semi-final appearance, more than any other club (won 19 and lost nine). It was their tenth FA Cup Semi-final in the last 18 seasons. The Gunners had now lost just one of their last 39 FA Cup games against a lower league side (won 30 and drawn eight). The last time they lost an FA Cup Semi-final against a team from outside the top division was in 1973 against Sunderland. Arsenal retained their 100% record against Reading having now won all 13 meetings in all competitions. They went into this game on a run of eight successive Premier League victories; their best run since they won nine in a row in the 2003-04 Invincibles season. Only George Ramsay (six with Aston Villa ) had won the FA Cup as a manager more often than Arsene Wenger (five). Arsenal would now face Aston Villa in the 2015 Final.

Comments:

This was only the second time that Reading had reached the FA Cup Semi-finals. In 1927, they lost to Cardiff City at Molineux who then were beaten in the Final by Arsenal. The Royals went into this game without a victory in their last six League Championship games.

2 Arsenal

Goals:

Alexis Sánchez 39 G
Alexis Sánchez 105 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny
Defender Laurent Koscielny
Defender Per Mertesacker
Defender/Midfielder Mathieu Debuchy
Defender/Midfielder Kieran Gibbs
Midfielder Francis Coquelin
Midfielder Mesut Özil
Midfielder Aaron Ramsey
Midfielder Santi Cazorla
Midfielder/Forward Alexis Sánchez
Forward Danny Welbeck

Substitutions:

Gabriel Paulista for Per Mertesacker 63
Olivier Giroud for Danny Welbeck 72
Theo Walcott for Francis Coquelin 101

Cards:

Gabriel Paulista 108 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper David Ospina
Defender Gabriel Paulista
Defender Nacho Monreal
Midfielder Mathieu Flamini
Midfielder Jack Wilshere
Midfielder/Forward Theo Walcott
Forward Olivier Giroud

Comments:

This was Arsenal's 28th FA Cup Semi-final appearance, more than any other club (won 19 and lost nine). It was their tenth FA Cup Semi-final in the last 18 seasons. The Gunners had now lost just one of their last 39 FA Cup games against a lower league side (won 30 and drawn eight). The last time they lost an FA Cup Semi-final against a team from outside the top division was in 1973 against Sunderland. Arsenal retained their 100% record against Reading having now won all 13 meetings in all competitions. They went into this game on a run of eight successive Premier League victories; their best run since they won nine in a row in the 2003-04 Invincibles season. Only George Ramsay (six with Aston Villa ) had won the FA Cup as a manager more often than Arsene Wenger (five). Arsenal would now face Aston Villa in the 2015 Final.

1 Reading

Goals:

Garath McCleary 54 G

Starting lineup:

Adam Federici Goalkeeper
Chris Gunter Defender
Alex Pearce Defender
Nathaniel Chalobah Defender/Midfielder
Michael Hector Defender/Midfielder
Jordan Obita Defender/Midfielder
Danny Williams Midfielder
Jamie Mackie Midfielder/Forward
Garath McCleary Midfielder/Forward
Pavel Pogrebnyak Forward
Hal Robson-Kanu Forward

Substitutions:

Jem Karacan for Hal Robson-Kanu 90
Simon Cox for Nathaniel Chalobah 106
Yakubu for Pavel Pogrebnyak 111

Cards:

Nathaniel Chalobah 45 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen
Defender Jake Cooper
Defender Stephen Kelly
Midfielder Jem Karacan
Midfielder Oliver Norwood
Forward Simon Cox
Forward Yakubu

Comments:

This was only the second time that Reading had reached the FA Cup Semi-finals. In 1927, they lost to Cardiff City at Molineux who then were beaten in the Final by Arsenal. The Royals went into this game without a victory in their last six League Championship games.