Chelsea have set up a mouth-watering FA Cup final against Arsenal after a tense 1-0 victory over Fulham at Villa Park this evening. Claudio Ranieri's side withstood the challenge of a stubborn Fulham side to set up the final that will have the purists frothing at the mouth.
The Stamford Bride side broke the deadlock with just five minutes to go to half-time when defender John Terry bundled the ball over the line at the back post after Fulham failed to clear a Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink corner. After the break, Jean Tigana's men refused to lie down and attacked Chelsea with increasing potency. But man-of-the match Marcel Desailly and John Terry managed to repel everything the Fulham strikers could throw at them and Chelsea hung on for a priceless victory.
Earlier today, Arsenal kept their double dream alive with a narrow 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Old Trafford. But the win came with a price for both the Highbury club and possibly England as central defender Sol Campbell was stretchered off in the second half.
Arsenal broke the deadlock after 39 minutes when unlucky Middlesbrough defender Gianluca Festa, who had come on for another injury casualty, Ugo Ehiogu, volleyed into his own net from a corner. Sylvain Wiltord had a great chance to make it two ten minutes after the break but he blasted over the bar from close range.
After Campbell was forced out of the action, Patrick Vieira moved into defence for Arsenal in a move which spelled a period of considerable domination for Steve McClaren's side. Gunners' goalkeeper Richard Wright saved twice from Dean Windass and Alen Boksic, before Robbie Mustoe wasted another good chance late on.
Filed by Tom Grealis
