1998 FA Cup Final
Encyclopedia
The 1998 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...

 and Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...

 at Wembley. Arsenal won 2–0, with goals by Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars is a retired Dutch footballer. He is best known as a right-footed left winger, although he is able to use both his feet with equal precision and power...

 and Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka
Abdul-Salam Bilal on 14 March 1979) is a French international footballer, who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team...

 to complete their second league and cup double.

It was Arsenal's seventh success in the competition - placing them third on the list of clubs with the most FA Cup triumphs, equal with Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...

 but behind Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

 and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

.

It was Newcastle United's first domestic cup final since the 1976 Football League Cup Final
1976 Football League Cup Final
The 1976 Football League Cup Final took place between Manchester City and Newcastle United on 28 February 1976 at Wembley Stadium. It was the sixteenth final and the tenth Football League Cup final to be played at Wembley. Manchester City won the match 2–1 to win the competition for the second time...

 and first FA Cup Final since 1974
1974 FA Cup Final
The 1974 FA Cup Final was contested by Liverpool and Newcastle United at Wembley. In a one-sided match Liverpool won 3–0, with goals from Kevin Keegan and Steve Heighway...

.

Arsenal's success made them only the second English club to win the league championship and FA Cup double twice. Manchester United were the other club to achieve this, having won the double in 1994 and again in 1996. Unlike United, however, Arsenal had achieved this feat with an entirely different set of players.

It was Arsenal's first FA Cup triumph in five years, but six players from the 1993 team featured in this triumph - David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Tony Adams, non-playing substitute Ian Wright, and Ray Parlour (who had started the original final in 1993, but missed the replay).

It was also the third time Newcastle had faced Arsenal in an FA Cup final, Newcastle winning the previous two in 1932 and 1952.

Match summary

The 1998 FA Cup Final was Arsenal's chance to win the League and FA Cup double for the second time in their history, since their first such achievement in 1971. It was manager, Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...

's first Cup Final at Arsenal. It was a hot sunny day at Wembley and their opponents Newcastle United, were underdogs, having finished in 13th place that season under Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...

. It was the club's first FA Cup Final since 1974.

The game came to life in the 23rd minute, when a perfect through-ball by Ray Parlour
Ray Parlour
Raymond "Ray" Parlour , is a retired English footballer. He spent his career playing for Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Hull City. During his Arsenal career he was nicknamed "The Romford Pelé"; although the nickname was given with an ironic sense of humour, on account of his solid performance but...

 found Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars is a retired Dutch footballer. He is best known as a right-footed left winger, although he is able to use both his feet with equal precision and power...

, who resisted the challenge of defender Alessandro Pistone
Alessandro Pistone
Alessandro Pistone is a former Italian footballer.-Early career:Pistone started his career at Solbiatese and Crevalcore, two small Italian teams who in recent years have slid to the lowest tier of professional Italian football, before moving to Vicenza for the duration of the 1995–96 season...

 to prod the ball through the legs of the onrushing goalkeeper Shay Given
Shay Given
Séamus John James "Shay" Given is an Irish footballer who plays for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national team as a goalkeeper. He won the PFA's Player of the Year in 2002....

 and give Arsenal a 1-0 lead.

Early in the second half, Newcastle were given a great chance to equalise when Martin Keown
Martin Keown
Martin Raymond Keown is a former English footballer. Widely regarded as one of the best man-markers of his generation, Keown played for six different football clubs during his career but it was with Arsenal that he will be best remembered. Keown made over three hundred appearances for Arsenal...

 slipped on the ball. Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...

 pounced on the opportunity but his left-foot shot hit the foot of the post, and rebounded back out. The contest was all over in the 69th minute when another great pass by man of the match Parlour found the teenage striker Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka
Abdul-Salam Bilal on 14 March 1979) is a French international footballer, who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team...

. Anelka raced through and slid the ball past Given to give the Gunners a 2-0 lead. Newcastle were left to rue another missed chance when Nikos Dabizas
Nikos Dabizas
Nikolaos "Nikos" Dabizas is a retired Greek professional footballer and former Newcastle United, Leicester City, Olympiacos and Larissa defender . He was also in Greece's 2004 European Football Championship winning squad....

 hit the bar with a header, but it was to be Arsenal's day. Sportingly, the Newcastle fans applauded the Arsenal team as they made their way up the Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...

 steps to collect the trophy.

Match details


EWLINE|
ARSENAL:
GK 1   David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...

RB 2   Lee Dixon
Lee Dixon
Lee Michael Dixon is a former English professional footballer born in Manchester.He formed part of the Arsenal defence from the late 1980s, through till 2002. He was capped 22 times for England, scoring once....

CB 6   Tony Adams
Tony Adams (footballer)
Tony Alexander Adams, MBE is an English football manager and former player.Adams spent his entire playing career of 22 years as a defender at Arsenal. He is considered one of the greatest Arsenal players of all time by the club's own fans and was included in the Football League 100 Legends...

 (c)
CB 14   Martin Keown
Martin Keown
Martin Raymond Keown is a former English footballer. Widely regarded as one of the best man-markers of his generation, Keown played for six different football clubs during his career but it was with Arsenal that he will be best remembered. Keown made over three hundred appearances for Arsenal...

LB 3   Nigel Winterburn
Nigel Winterburn
Nigel Winterburn is a retired English footballer who played at left-back for Arsenal. He is best known for his role alongside Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon, forming a celebrated defensive line in the Premier League and European football during the 1990s.-Early career:Winterburn was born...

 
RM 15   Ray Parlour
Ray Parlour
Raymond "Ray" Parlour , is a retired English footballer. He spent his career playing for Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Hull City. During his Arsenal career he was nicknamed "The Romford Pelé"; although the nickname was given with an ironic sense of humour, on account of his solid performance but...

CM 4   Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is a retired French footballer of Senegalese descent who is the Football Development Executive at Manchester City....

CM 17   Emmanuel Petit
Emmanuel Petit
Emmanuel "Manu" Laurent Petit is a retired French footballer, who played his club football for Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea...

LM 11   Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars
Marc Overmars is a retired Dutch footballer. He is best known as a right-footed left winger, although he is able to use both his feet with equal precision and power...

CF 12   Christopher Wreh
Christopher Wreh
Christopher Wreh is a Liberia international footballer.-Career:A cousin of former FIFA World Player of the Year George Weah, Wreh first played for Liberian clubs Young Kotoko, La Modelle International and Invincible Eleven, before being snapped up by French side AS Monaco as a youth in 1989...

 
CF 9   Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka
Abdul-Salam Bilal on 14 March 1979) is a French international footballer, who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team...

Substitutes:
GK 13   Alex Manninger
Alex Manninger
Alexander "Alex" Manninger is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Juventus F.C. in the Italian Serie A. He has played for a variety of high-profile clubs, almost always as a substitute....

DF 5   Steve Bould
Steve Bould
Stephen Andrew Bould is an English former football player and current coach. He played professionally for Stoke City, Torquay United, Arsenal and Sunderland.-Stoke City:...

MF 7   David Platt 
MF 18   Gilles Grimandi
Gilles Grimandi
Gilles Grimandi is a retired French footballer, who currently is a scout for Arsenal.- Club career :...

FW 8   Ian Wright
Ian Wright
Ian Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...

Manager:
  Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...

EWLINE|
NEWCASTLE UNITED:
GK 1   Shay Given
Shay Given
Séamus John James "Shay" Given is an Irish footballer who plays for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national team as a goalkeeper. He won the PFA's Player of the Year in 2002....

RB 2   Warren Barton
Warren Barton
Warren Dean Barton is a former English football player and a TV Pundit for Fox Soccer Channel.-Club career:...

 
CB 6   Steve Howey
Steve Howey (footballer)
Stephen Norman "Steve" Howey is a former footballer who played for the England national team. At club level, he made more than 300 appearances in the Football League and the Premier League, playing for Newcastle United, Manchester City, Leicester City, Bolton Wanderers and Hartlepool United...

 
CB 34   Nikos Dabizas
Nikos Dabizas
Nikolaos "Nikos" Dabizas is a retired Greek professional footballer and former Newcastle United, Leicester City, Olympiacos and Larissa defender . He was also in Greece's 2004 European Football Championship winning squad....

 
LB 12   Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce
Stuart Pearce OBE is an English football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of the England national under-21 team and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic football team...

 
RM 7   Robert Lee
Rob Lee
Robert Martin "Rob" Lee is a retired English footballer who played the majority of his career for Charlton Athletic and Newcastle United.-Charlton Athletic:...

 (c)
CM 4   David Batty
David Batty
David Batty is an English retired professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder....

CM 11   Gary Speed
Gary Speed
Gary Andrew Speed, MBE was a Welsh football player and manager. He was captain of the Wales national football team until he retired from international football in 2004 and he remains the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall, having appeared 85 times at senior level between...

LM 23   Alessandro Pistone
Alessandro Pistone
Alessandro Pistone is a former Italian footballer.-Early career:Pistone started his career at Solbiatese and Crevalcore, two small Italian teams who in recent years have slid to the lowest tier of professional Italian football, before moving to Vicenza for the duration of the 1995–96 season...

AM 14   Temuri Ketsbaia
Temuri Ketsbaia
Temuri "Temur" Ketsbaia is a Georgian football manager and former player. As a player he represented the Georgian national team and played for Dinamo Tbilisi, Anorthosis Famagusta, AEK, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Dundee.Ketsbaia is often regarded as having played a major role...

 
CF 9   Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer
Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team...

 
Substitutes:
GK 15   Shaka Hislop
Shaka Hislop
Neil Shaka Hislop, CM is a former professional football goalkeeper. The majority of his career was spent in the top division in England where he was a part of the Newcastle United team which finished second in the Premier League for two successive seasons under Kevin Keegan's first tenure...

DF 19   Steve Watson
Steve Watson
Steven Craig "Steve" Watson is a former English footballer, who retired after being released by Sheffield Wednesday on 15 May 2009. As of November 13, 2010, he is the Development Coach at Football League One side Huddersfield Town.-Playing career:Watson began his career with Newcastle United,...

 
MF 10   John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...

 
MF 27   Philippe Albert
Philippe Albert
Philippe Julien Albert is a former Belgian football defender. He played with R. Charleroi S.C., KV Mechelen, R.S.C. Anderlecht and Newcastle United in England...

FW 40   Andreas Andersson
Andreas Andersson
Andreas Claes Andersson is a Swedish footballer. He retired in 2005, but has started playing for lower league side FC Andrea Doria in Sweden. He was capped 42 times and scored 8 goals for Sweden, and he played at the 2002 FIFA World Cup...

 
Manager:
  Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...


MATCH RULES
  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shootout if scores still level.
  • Five named substitutes.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK