FA Cup - Final
Chelsea1Man Utd0

Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

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Hazard penalty puts Chelsea ahead in FA Cup final

Eden Hazard's penalty secured Chelsea the FA Cup for the eighth time as they beat Manchester United in what could be Antonio Conte's final match in charge.

Hazard sent goalkeeper David de Gea the wrong way at Wembley, having won the kick when brought down by Phil Jones.

United, having offered minimal attacking threat in the first half, were much better in the second.

Alexis Sanchez had a goal ruled out for straying just offside - referee Michael Oliver using VAR to confirm the call.

Thibaut Courtois later denied Marcus Rashford, before Paul Pogba headed wide with a clear chance from a corner.

Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial, who had both been doubts for the final because of injury, appeared as substitutes for the final 17 minutes, but United were unable to find an equaliser.

Conte has been widely tipped to leave Chelsea at the end of the season, teasing the media when asked about his future on Friday.

Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba - signed by Juventus in 2012 when Antonio Conte was head coach - missed a late chance to equalise for Manchester United

Victory in the cup final provided a positive antidote to a disappointing Premier League season, with Conte's side failing to qualify for the Champions League after finishing fifth.

For securing the trophy, last season's Premier League champions can thank Hazard, who has cast doubt over his own future at Stamford Bridge in recent days.

The Belgium forward, making his 300th appearance for the club, was the game's key player, shrugging aside United manager Jose Mourinho's attempt to nullify him by using Ander Herrera in a man-to-man marking role.

That plan had worked to perfection when United beat Chelsea 2-0 in the Premier League in April 2017, but Hazard responded at Wembley by dragging Herrera back towards United's defensive line, unbalancing Mourinho's side in the opening 45 minutes.

Herrera was nowhere to be seen in the build-up to the winner as Hazard ran clear on to Cesc Fabregas' through pass, and was brought down for a penalty by Jones, who was shown a yellow card.

Mourinho's side threw off their defensive shackles after half-time, and may well have saved the match had they been more ruthless in front of goal.

Sanchez was judged - correctly - to have strayed just offside as he turned in the loose ball, after Courtois had saved Jones' header from a Rashford free-kick, and the Chelsea goalkeeper was alert to beat away a Nemanja Matic shot.

Yet it was Pogba, perhaps, who had the best chance to equalise, putting his head into his hands in frustration after nodding wide from just seven yards following a set-piece.

Why was Phil Jones not sent off?

Eden Hazard and Phil Jones
Eden Hazard and Phil Jones could meet when Belgium play England at the World Cup on 28 June

There was plenty of debate on social media after Oliver's decision to show a yellow card to Jones for conceding the penalty.

The referee's decision was dictated by a law change in 2016 that was intended to abolish 'triple punishment' in such circumstances.

Before the change, any denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity inside the area resulted in the offender receiving a red card and a suspension, as well as conceding a penalty.

Under the amended Law 12, which relates to fouls and misconduct, a player judged to have made a genuine attempt to win the ball is shown a yellow card instead.

The law states: "Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goalscoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offending player is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball.

"In all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.) the offending player must be sent off."

More to follow.

Line-ups

Chelsea

  • 13CourtoisBooked at 90mins
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 24Cahill
  • 2Rüdiger
  • 15Moses
  • 4Fàbregas
  • 7Kanté
  • 14Bakayoko
  • 3Alonso
  • 10E HazardSubstituted forWillianat 90+1'minutes
  • 18GiroudSubstituted forMorataat 89'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Caballero
  • 8Barkley
  • 9Morata
  • 11Pedro
  • 21Zappacosta
  • 22Willian
  • 50Chalobah

Man Utd

  • 1De Gea
  • 25A ValenciaBooked at 58mins
  • 12Smalling
  • 4JonesBooked at 21minsSubstituted forMataat 87'minutes
  • 18Young
  • 21Herrera
  • 31Matic
  • 6Pogba
  • 14LingardSubstituted forMartialat 73'minutes
  • 7Sánchez
  • 19RashfordSubstituted forR Lukakuat 73'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Bailly
  • 8Mata
  • 9R Lukaku
  • 11Martial
  • 20Romero
  • 36Darmian
  • 39McTominay
Referee:
Michael Oliver
Attendance:
87,647

Match Stats

Home TeamChelseaAway TeamMan Utd
Possession
Home34%
Away66%
Shots
Home6
Away18
Shots on Target
Home3
Away5
Corners
Home5
Away9
Fouls
Home11
Away13

Live Text

Match ends, Chelsea 1, Manchester United 0.

Full Time

Second Half ends, Chelsea 1, Manchester United 0.

Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Juan Mata.

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Victor Moses.

Booking

Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.

Attempt missed. Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Antonio Valencia with a cross.

Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Antonio Valencia.

Substitution

Substitution, Chelsea. Willian replaces Eden Hazard.

Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Juan Mata.

Substitution

Substitution, Chelsea. Álvaro Morata replaces Olivier Giroud.

Substitution

Substitution, Manchester United. Juan Mata replaces Phil Jones.

Attempt missed. Alexis Sánchez (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nemanja Matic.

Chris Smalling (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Olivier Giroud (Chelsea).

Attempt missed. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Anthony Martial with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Gary Cahill.

Offside, Chelsea. Cesc Fàbregas tries a through ball, but Olivier Giroud is caught offside.

Attempt blocked. Anthony Martial (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Paul Pogba.

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Thibaut Courtois.

Attempt saved. Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ander Herrera.

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Delay in match Phil Jones (Manchester United) because of an injury.

Delay in match Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) because of an injury.

Attempt saved. Anthony Martial (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Antonio Valencia with a headed pass.

Substitution

Substitution, Manchester United. Anthony Martial replaces Jesse Lingard because of an injury.

Substitution

Substitution, Manchester United. Romelu Lukaku replaces Marcus Rashford.

Attempt saved. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jesse Lingard with a through ball.

Attempt missed. Gary Cahill (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Cesc Fàbregas with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ashley Young.

Attempt saved. Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by N'Golo Kanté.

Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Marcos Alonso.

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Delay in match Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea) because of an injury.

Offside, Manchester United. Phil Jones tries a through ball, but Alexis Sánchez is caught offside.

Attempt saved. Phil Jones (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marcus Rashford with a cross.

Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Marcos Alonso (Chelsea).

Attempt missed. Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Tiemoué Bakayoko (Chelsea).

goal

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Saturday 19th May 2018

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