FA Cup final 2009: Top 10 Cup final goals

By David Edbrooke
Last Updated: 10:08AM BST 30 May 2009

1. Ricky Villa for Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, 1981:
Following on from his thunderbolt in the semi-final, Villa filleted
City’s defence with two goals in the Cup final replay. Here he uses his
silk-laden skill to weave a goal out of nothing and make an indelible
mark on the 100th FA Cup final.

2. Eric Cantona for Manchester Utd v Liverpool, 1996: King Cantona
gave United a Double-winning reason to celebrate after demonstrating
superb technique to volley the ball through a crowded penalty box.
Sublime.

3. Steven Gerrard for Liverpool v West Ham, 2006: Minutes earlier
Gerrard had been lying on his back with cramp, but after a desperate
clearance by West Ham, Anfield’s Roy of The Rovers rose to the occasion
to catapult the ball into the net with a flourish of his right foot.
The maverick midfielder had done it again.

4. Roberto Di Matteo for Chelsea v Middlesbrough, 1997: The diminutive
Italian gave Chelsea the perfect start with this soaring strike in the
first minute of the match.

5. Ray Parlour for Arsenal v Chelsea, 2002: Parlour plundered Chelsea’s
defence with a beautifully-flighted finish. Freddie Ljungberg would
go on to set the seal on the game with Arsenal’s second.

6. Stuart Pearce for Nottingham Forest v Tottenham, 1991: After that
infamous tackle by Paul Gascoigne that did more harm to the Geordie
magician than Gary Charles, Pearce rifled home a thunderous free kick.

7. Charlie George for Arsenal v Liverpool, 1971: “George has done it,”
burbled the commentator. They say good things come to those who wait
and Arsenal fans’ spirits were sent swirling into the stratosphere when
George fired home the winner in the 111th minute.

8. Ian Porterfield for Leeds United v Sunderland, 1973. Porterfield’s
iconic rocket rose into the roof of the net as the romance of the Cup
came to the fore. Judged alongside today’s strikes it might seem
unworthy of inclusion on this list, but the goal captured the very
essence of this fabled competition as Porterfield secured the silverware
for the underdogs.

9. Didier Drogba for Chelsea v Manchester Utd, 2007: The Ivorian makes
history with the first FA Cup final goal at the new Wembley. After
playing a neat one-two with Frank Lampard he dinked the ball over
Edwin van der Sar with a deft touch for his 33rd goal of that season.

10. Bobby Stokes for Southampton v Manchester Utd, 1976: In a David
versus Goliath outcome that will forever be etched in Southampton FC’
s subconscious, Stokes sent Jim McCalliog’s defence-splitting pass into
the far corner of United’s net as one of English football’s
emperors collapsed onto the Cup final canvas.
--
FROM 159.226.119.*