After securing hard fought victories in the semi-finals, Arsenal and Aston Villa are headed to the championship game of the 2015 FA Cup. While most of the UK’s football attention is usually directed towards the Champions League and Premier League, the FA Cup still holds a great deal of prestige for football fans and players throughout Europe. Winning this knockout event is considered to be one of the great honors of European Football. The event’s roots date all the way back to 1871 with some of England’s greatest teams hoisting the trophy throughout the years.
Both teams advanced to the finals after defeating their opponents by the narrowest of margins. First up on April 19 was defending FA Cup Champion Arsenal. The Gunners needed extra time to set aside a tough Reading team with a final score of 2-1. The winning goal was scored by Alexis Sanchez on a solo run at the 106 minute mark. Later that same evening, Aston Villa took care of business by a final score of 2-1 over Liverpool. The winning goal was scored by Fabian Delph at the 56 minute mark. From there, The Villa employed great defense to lock down the victory.
Both teams enter the 2015 final game with great FA Cup tradition in tow. Arsenal has won the Cup an amazing 11 times, including its FA Cup Championship run in 2013-2014. Aston Villa has won The Cup five times, though the last championship came all the way back in 1957. This game marks Aston Villa’s first final since the team made it to the championship game in 2000; where they lost to Chelsea 1-0.
Heading into this year’s Cup final, we have two teams at opposite ends of the table. For Arsenal, the 2015 football season has been business as usual. They finished third in the Premier League standings. All season long, the Gunners have benefited from the great play of their two-best scorers: Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud. Arsenal figures to be a heavy favorite going into the Championship game after defeating Manchester United in the quarter-finals. Football fans should be on the prowl for free bets and free betting tips leading up to the game.
For The Villans, the FA Cup Championship would offer a bit of redemption after a disappointing Premier League season where they finished in 17th place. After the firing of Manager Paul Lambert in February, Tim Sherwood was hired to take his place and Aston Villa responded with a noticeable reversal of form. His presence brought them victories over Leicester City (2-1), West Bromwich Albion (2-0), and Liverpool as they marched into the tournament final. For Villa, the chances for a possible upset seem to go through Forward Christian Benteke, who has led the team in scoring all season long.
The FA Cup Championship game is scheduled for May 30, 2015 with the starting time set at 17:30. The game will be played at the historic Wembley Stadium in London, England, with an anticipated crowd of 85,000+. The game will also be televised throughout Europe and the United States. At stake for both teams is a guaranteed place in the Europa League plus an invite to play against the Premier League Champion in the Community Shield, which is scheduled to be played in August. Free bets and free betting tips are currently available with some of the UK’s top online sports books.
This article was written by Tony Samboras who writes for www.freebookmakersbetsandbonuses.com.au