Wigan Athletic Wins FA Cup on Ben Watson Header Causing Gus Johnson to Erupt [Video]
By Mike Cardillo
Wigan Athletic stunned Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London.
Ben Watson scored the winner on a header set up by Shaun Maloney’s corner kick in the 90th minute, causing FOX play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson to start screaming as his partner Ian Wright simply giggled in the background.
It’s the unfancied club’s first major trophy since it’s formation in 1932.
As much as Wigan might celebrate today and into tonight, the club is still three points from safety with two games left to play in the English Premier League season. Relegation seems likely.
Regardless, it was a deserved victory by Wigan which controlled most of the match and had numerous chances throughout, mostly from Callum McManaman. Manager Roberto Martinez pushed the right buttons and his club, even if it goes down to the Championship will play in the Europa League next season. Wigan never looked out of their element or out-classed all match.
Manchester City’s best chance to score came in the first half, but Wigan keeper Joel Robles made a divin g leg save to stop Carlos Tevez.
Most of the afternoon Manchester City sleepwalked through the game, playing like a team that knew its manager, Roberto Mancini, was days away from being fired. Fittingly one of Mancini’s second-half subs — Jack Rodwell — was beaten by Watson, himself a substitute, for the game-winner.
In any event, well done Wigan. Enjoy it. It won’t get any better than this.