Roberto di Matteo, having imprinted his name upon the record books in his last FA Cup final appearance, made an even greater impact at Wembley against Aston Villa this afternoon to secure Chelsea's place in Europe next season. While di Matteo's goal after just 42 seconds against Middlesbrough in 1997 set the Blues on their way to their first trophy for many years, this goal – gifted to him by David James' horrendous handling error - was even more important.
Virtually the whole Villa side seemed to freeze at Wembley in their first FA Cup final for 43 years the main culprit was James. Just a few days after being recalled to the England squad, the former Liverpool keeper committed an appalling error reminiscent of the mistakes that gave him the tag of `Calamity James' at Liverpool which he has worked so hard this season to throw off.
When Gianfranco Zola swung over a free-kick with 18 minutes left, James flapped at the ball amid a crowd of players, pushed it onto Gareth Southgate's chest and di Matteo duly pounced to scoop a lunging shot home from four yards out. In their 61st game of the season, Chelsea may not have ever reached the heights of performance that they have risen to previously this season in Europe, but they deserved their victory and the three weeks extra holiday which it now allows them ahead of next season.
While this final was hardly a fitting end to the Twin Towers before demolition work starts on the Wembley stadium next summer, it will have mattered little to Gianluca Vialli as he managed to fulfil the overbearing expectancy which now grips Stamford Bridge. Villa midfielder George Boateng was certainly intent upon making his presence felt immediately by Wise as he thundered in with a crunching tackle and the only surprise was that it took the Chelsea captain 20 minutes to exact revenge, for which he was booked.
Both sides were far too unwilling to take any sort of risks so that the two defences were completely on top, smothering any isolated promptings by Merson or Weah. A midfield stalemate of tedious proportions therefore developed, with a lack of natural width ensuring there was little room on offer even in Wembley's notoriously open spaces.
Weah finally had the first shot of any real menace just after the restart, firing only two feet wide of the far post after being set up by Gianfranco Zola. On 53 minutes, Chelsea thought they were ahead when James fumbled a long-range shot from Roberto di Matteo and Wise bundled the ball home - only for Weah to have been correctly ruled offside. It may have been long overdue. But, with Chelsea now in the ascendancy and showing added urgency, it was the jump start that the game desperately needed.
A superb tackle by Wise then won possession for the Blues, and Zola curled in a dangerous cross - but this time Weah spooned the ball over the bar from just six yards out. James smothered another opening for the centre-forward. But, while Villa seemed to be holding firm against the odds, they crumbled when James' horrendous error gifted di Matteo the solitary goal of the game. While the Villa goalkeeper's opposite number Ed de Goey was similarly unsure in dealing with another free-kick, he was saved by the weakness of Benito Carbone's shot.
Although Villa threw on all three substitutes in a desperate bid to save the game, with James even going for a late free-kick in a bid for redemption, they never came close to securing an equaliser. Changes may be afoot at Stamford Bridge this summer. Yet Vialli's position is more secure than ever; with his name chanted to the rooftops at the final whistle, the Intertoto Cup has been avoided and the future is certainly brighter. As for James, however, he could merely sink to the ground in utter despair, throw his gloves away and lie there in desolation. Don't try telling him that the FA Cup does not matter any more.
PA Sports
