2000 FA Cup Final

Event	1999–2000 FA Cup
Chelsea Aston Villa 1 0
Date	20 May 2000
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Referee	Graham Poll (Hertfordshire)
← 1999 2001 →

The 2000 FA Cup Final took place on 20 May 2000 and was the last to be played at the old Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Chelsea and Aston Villa, who had finished 5th and 6th respectively in the Premier League that season. In a close-fought contest, Chelsea secured their second FA Cup in four years with a strike mid-way through the second half from Roberto Di Matteo.

It was Chelsea's second FA Cup success in four seasons and their third so far. Roberto Di Matteo had also scored in their previous cup triumph.

It was Aston Villa's first FA Cup final appearance since their win 43 years earlier.

Wembley Stadium closed five months later, and was subsequently rebuilt. It was more than six years after the old stadium closed that the new stadium opened.

[edit] Match

[edit] Summary

Following a poor quality first half in which few chances were created, the match was brighter in the second, with Chelsea generally having the better of the play. George Weah missed several chances and Dennis Wise had a goal disallowed for offside, while Villa's Gareth Southgate headed wide. On 73 minutes, Roberto Di Matteo scored what proved to be the winning goal, capitalising on an error from Villa goalkeeper David James to put the ball in the net from close range. Villa could not get back in the match, their best chance falling to Benito Carbone, but his tame shot did not test Ed de Goey in goal.

[edit] Match details

2000-05-20 15:00 BST	Chelsea	1 – 0	Aston Villa	Wembley Stadium, London Attendance: 72,500 Referee: Graham Poll (Hertfordshire)
	Di Matteo  73'	(Report)

Chelsea

Aston Villa

CHELSEA: GK 1 Ed de Goey DF 15 Mario Melchiot 18' DF 6 Marcel Desailly DF 5 Frank Leboeuf DF 3 Celestine Babayaro MF 8 Gustavo Poyet MF 11 Dennis Wise (c) 28' MF 7 Didier Deschamps MF 16 Roberto Di Matteo FW 25 Gianfranco Zola 89' FW 31 George Weah 88' Substitutes: GK 23 Carlo Cudicini DF 26 John Terry MF 34 Jon Harley MF 20 Jody Morris 89' FW 19 Tore André Flo 88' Manager: Gianluca Vialli

ASTON VILLA: GK 1 David James DF 24 Mark Delaney DF 5 Ugo Ehiogu DF 4 Gareth Southgate (c) DF 15 Gareth Barry 16' DF 3 Alan Wright 88' MF 6 George Boateng MF 10 Paul Merson MF 7 Ian Taylor 79' MF 18 Benito Carbone 79' FW 9 Dion Dublin Substitutes: GK 39 Peter Enckelman DF 31 Jlloyd Samuel MF 26 Steve Stone 79' FW 12 Julian Joachim 79' FW 17 Lee Hendrie 88' Manager: John Gregory

[edit] Road to Wembley

[edit] Chelsea