MX23RW : Thursday, July 23 15:55:14| >> :120:10285:10285:

Result: Arsenal win record 12th FA Cup with mauling of Aston Villa

Goals from Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud help Arsenal to a 4-0 win over Aston Villa and a record 12th FA Cup win.

Arsenal won the FA Cup for a record 12th time by outclassing Aston Villa in this evening's final at Wembley.

The Gunners dominated from start to finish, with goals from Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud earning them a 4-0 victory and back-to-back FA Cup wins.

Arsenal lift the FA Cup trophy at Wembley after beating Aston Villa 4-0 on May 30, 2015© AFP

Arsene Wenger's men saw plenty of the ball in the early stages, but it was from set pieces where they had their best openings in the first quarter of an hour.

Laurent Koscielny twice got up unchallenged, but he could not find the net as first he headed wide before Villa keeper Shay Given made an acrobatic stop to keep out the Frenchman.

It felt like a matter of time before the team in yellow would take the lead, but they were profligate early on as Aaron Ramsey twice failed to hit the target with good opportunities.

Aston Villa defender Jores Okore and Theo Walcott of Arsenal contest for the ball during the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 30, 2015© Getty Images

At the other end, Villa were struggling to have any impact in the opposing half and, but for an instinctive piece of defending from Kieran Richardson, they would have fallen behind in the 24th minute.

Mesut Ozil crossed low for Walcott and the Englishman appeared to have the simplest of conversions, but Richardson slid in to somehow block on the line.

The deadlock was broken in the 40th minute and this time Walcott was not denied as he fired a controlled low volley past Given at his near post, after Sanchez had got up well to head Nacho Monreal's dinked centre back across goal.

Theo Walcott wheels away in celebration after scoring the opening goal of the FA Cup final at Wembley between Arsenal and Aston Villa on May 30, 2015© Getty Images

Half time arrived soon after to give Villa the chance to regroup, but they were two down not long into the second half as Sanchez pinged home his third goal in two matches at Wembley this season.

After scoring both of the Gunners' goals in the semi-final victory over Reading, the Chilean made his mark on the final with a thumping drive from 25 yards that swerved away from Given and in off the crossbar.

Alexis Sanchez fires home Arsenal's second goal during the FA Cup final against Aston Villa at Wembley on May 30, 2015© Getty Images

Arsenal continued to press after doubling their lead, with Santi Cazorla and Walcott missing chances before they went three in front shortly after the hour mark.

Cazorla's outswinging corner was misjudged by Villa striker Christian Benteke, leaving Mertesacker unmarked to turn home with a combination of head and shoulder.

Villa's chances of coming back into the game were extinguished by the German's second goal in this year's competition, and the game began to peter towards its conclusion.

Alexis Sanchez and Tom Cleverley tussle for possession during the FA Cup final at Wembley between Arsenal and Aston Villa on May 30, 2015© AFP

Walcott should have made it four just before he was substituted in the 77th minute, while Villa felt that they should have had a pair of late penalties, but Jonathan Moss shook his head at both claims.

First, Gabriel Agbonlahor was brought down right on the edge of box by Francis Coquelin, before Jack Grealish appeared to be hauled over by Hector Bellerin.

With the final whistle seconds away, Walcott's replacement Giroud put further gloss on the result with a flicked finish at the near post.

By leading Arsenal to victory, Wenger becomes only the second manager to win the FA Cup on six occasions. Villa, meanwhile, had no shots on target and miss out on the chance to win their eighth title and first since 1957.

The Arsenal team pose with the trophy after winning the FA Cup final football match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Wembley stadium in London on May 30, 2015© Getty Images

Arsenal's triumph also means that Southampton have qualified for the Europa League with their seventh-placed Premier League finish. Had Villa won, they would have taken the final spot.

ID:225615:
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Theo Walcott wheels away in celebration after scoring the opening goal of the FA Cup final at Wembley between Arsenal and Aston Villa on May 30, 2015
Read Next:
Half-Time Report: Walcott fires Arsenal ahead
>
Latest Sports Video
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.

rhs 2.0
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLiverpool37313382325096
2Manchester CityMan City37253997356278
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd371712864362863
4Chelsea371961267541363
5Leicester CityLeicester371881167392862
6Wolverhampton WanderersWolves371514851381359
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs3716101160461458
8Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd371412113836254
9Burnley37159134248-654
10Arsenal371314105346753
11Everton371310144353-1049
12Southampton37147164859-1149
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle371111153755-1844
14Crystal Palace37119173049-1942
15West Ham UnitedWest Ham37108194861-1338
16Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton37814153753-1638
17Aston Villa3797214066-2634
18Watford37810193461-2734
19Bournemouth3787223764-2731
RNorwich CityNorwich3756262670-4421

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!