LONDON: The only time Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looked uncertain was when it came to collecting the FA Cup.

Two goals from the forward had turned around the final for Arsenal, sealing a 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Saturday in the first cup final to be staged without fans.

The coronavirus restrictions also meant there was no Prince William at Wembley Stadium to hand over the silverware in the royal box.

So Aubameyang had to pick up the cup himself on the field as captain. Taking the base as well, no wonder Aubameyang dropped it.

“I saw him walking with the bottom bit attached,” Arsenal defender Rob Holding said, “and I was like, You need to take that off!”

The cup was soon raised aloft, with gold streamer showering the Arsenal squad in a mostly-empty 90,000-capacity stadium after the 139th final of the world’s oldest football competition.

“He needs more experience with trophies, we can get him more used to that,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

“He knows what I think about him. I want to build the squad around him. I think he wants to stay and it is just about getting the deal done.”

Winning the record-extending 14th FA Cup does at least give Arsenal a spot in the Europa League, after missing out on qualifying through the Premier League after an eighth-placed finish.

“The journey has been long,” Aubameyang said. “But today we enjoy it.”

A much longer journey than expected. A competition that began on August 9, 2019, featuring teams from ninth and 10th tiers, ended later than it had ever done before two months after the final was scheduled.

Chelsea’s celebrations were short-lived.

It had been the dream start for Christian Pulisic, who has been a revelation since the three-month shutdown of football ended in June. Set up by Olivier Giroud’s back-heeled flick, Pulisic slotted in from close range after five minutes for his 11th goal in all competitions.

But Pulisic pulled up a minute into the second half with a hamstring injury, shouting in pain.

By that time Arsenal was already level. Aubameyang had been dragged down by Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta before equalising from the penalty spot in the 28th minute.

A year into this pandemic-disrupted, longest-ever English season, Azpilicueta hobbled off injured in tears before halftime.

With Chelsea unsettled by the injuries to Azpilicueta and Pulisic, Arsenal took control and Aubameyang chipped goalkeeper Willy Caballero from close range in the 67th.

Chelsea’s hopes of forcing the game into extra time were dealt a blow when Mateo Kovacic received a second yellow card in the 73rd after softly catching Granit Xhaka. Chelsea finished with nine men in stoppage time when Pedro was forced off with a shoulder injury.

Frank Lampard can still complete his first season as Chelsea manager by lifting a trophy but it would require the west London club first overturning a 3-0 deficit against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last-16 next Saturday.

But in only his 28th game in charge of Arsenal, Arteta won the FA Cup just as he did as a player in 2014 and 2015.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2020