Five memorable FA Cup final goals
Ahead of holders Arsenal's showdown with Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, AFP Sports recalls five classic FA Cup final goals: Kevin Keegan (Liverpool 3 Newcastle United 0, 1974) In legendary manager Bill Shankly's final game in the dug-out, Liverpool produced a ruthless performance that foreshadowed their dominance of the next decade and a half. Keegan gave Liverpool the lead in the 57th minute with a rasping drive from the edge of the box and sealed victory by finishing off a delightful team move two minutes from time. A patient 11-pass move culminated in Liverpool right-back Tommy Smith exchanging passes with Steve Heighway before drilling a low cross into the six-yard box that Keegan turned into the net. Ricky Villa (Tottenham Hotspur 3 Manchester City 2, 1981) The most famous FA Cup final goal of all, Ricky Villa's soft-shoe shuffle through the Manchester City defence remains one of the most iconic images associated with the old Wembley Stadium. After a 1-1 draw in the first game, the sides were locked at 2-2 in the replay when Villa, who had already scored earlier in the match, picked up the ball in the inside-left channel, 35 yards from goal. The Argentine, his straggly hair streaming behind him, tiptoed his way into the area, through a phalanx of defenders, before cutting inside and slotting a low shot past Joe Corrigan to send the cup to White Hart Lane. Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea 2 Middlesbrough 0, 1997) Italian midfielder Di Matteo provided an explosive start to the 1997 cup final by scoring after just 42 seconds. After collecting the ball just inside his own half, he advanced unchallenged into Middlesbrough territory before dispatching a dipping right-foot shot from 25 yards that kissed the crossbar on its way into the net. He held the record for the fastest goal in a modern FA Cup final until 2009, when Louis Saha netted after 25 seconds in Everton's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea. Ray Parlour (Arsenal 2 Chelsea 0, 2002) Arsenal were being held by London rivals Chelsea at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium when Parlour raced onto a pass from Sylvain Wiltord in the 70th minute. The danger appeared to have passed as the shaggy-haired English midfielder allowed Chelsea's defenders to get into position, but after shifting the ball onto his right foot he curled a glorious shot into the top-right corner from 25 yards. Freddie Ljungberg made it 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining and four days later, Arsenal beat Manchester United at Old Trafford to complete the Double. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool 3 West Ham United 3; Liverpool win 3-1 on penalties, 2006) The last FA Cup final goal to be scored at the Millennium Stadium -- used as an alternative venue during the construction of the new Wembley -- was fittingly one of the best in the competition's history. Twelve months on from their astonishing comeback to defeat AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, Liverpool trailed West Ham 3-2 as injury time approached when a loose ball fell to Gerrard and he cracked a sublime 35-yard missile into the bottom-left corner to claim his second goal of the afternoon. Liverpool won on penalties and their captain ended the day with another trophy in his arms.
