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| January 26, 2006 | Thursday | Zilhaj 25, 1426 |
Wigan silence Gunners to reach first final
LONDON, Jan 25: Jason Roberts scored with seconds of extra-time remaining to silence Arsenal’s big guns and send Wigan into their first major final after a dramatic League Cup semifinal second leg at Highbury on Tuesday. Just as it seemed the home side had booked their place in the final, Roberts latched on to Graham Kavanagh’s punt into the Gunners box and stabbed a shot underneath Manuel Almunia to make it 2-2 on aggregate, enough to send Wigan into their first major final courtesy of the away goals rule.
Arsenal had wheeled out their big guns for the match and everything seemed to be going to plan when Arsene Wenger’s side went 2-0 up on the night, courtesy of a beautiful free-kick from Robin van Persie at the start of the second period of extra-time.
Thierry Henry, starting in the competition for the first time since 1999, cancelled out Austrian defender Paul Scharner’s effort for Wigan in the first leg with a 65th-minute header.
Arsenal’s poor Premiership form had given this tournament added significance for the north London side and that was underlined by a starting line-up that included Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Campbell and Reyes, with Robert Pires and van Persie offering added insurance on the subs bench.—AFP
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