FA Cup Final 2001/2

Aardvark Abacus       0-1       San Dimas High School

                                               (2)         Trevor Sinclair 28

At the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Attendance 72,500

 

San Dimas High School won the 2001/2002 WSFFL FA Cup Final, beating favourites Aardvark Abacus 1-0. In a tightly contested final, it was Trevor Sinclair who provided a match-winning performance, capped with the decisive goal, and rightly won the Man of the Match award. San Dimas’ win also prevented Ady’s march towards a “Double Double”, and ensured they wouldn’t remember this season as their “Sheffield Wednesday” season, i.e. reaching 2 finals in one season – and losing them both.

Aardvark substitute Laurent Blanc was pressed into action almost immediately, as Markus Babbel suffered a recurrence of Guillan-Barre syndrome and had to come off. This rattled the Aardvark defence, as San Dimas were on the offensive, Bergkamp leading the charge with a close shot. Trevor Sinclair, out to impress the watching Sven-Goran Eriksson (well, he does go to all the important games, you know!) was a constant thorn in the Aardvark defense, and finally broke their resistance with a low shot into the far corner from a Queudrue cross, which Martyn could only deflect in.

This should have been the cue for an Aardvark onslaught, however their vaunted front-line was firing blanks today, particularly Anelka, who “had a mare” and was substituted midway through the second half. Bergkamp hit a post for San Dimas with a delicious curling effort before being subbed himself, and the only blemish on San Dimas’ subsequent cruise to victory was Franck Queudrue’s late dismissal for a late tackle from behind on Legwinski. But that didn’t dampen Peej’s day.

Aardvark Abacus: Nigel Marty; Ian Harte, Lauren, Markus Babbel, Bernt Haas; Nolberto Solano, Jon Aarne Riise, Vladimir Smicer, Sylvain Legwinski; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Nicolas Anelka

Subs: Neil Sullivan, Laurent Blanc; Sam Dalla Bonna; Eidur Gudjonsson

San Dimas High School: Thomas Sorensen; Sylvain Distin, John Terry, Tony Adams, Franck Queudrue; Trevor Sinclair, Anders Svensson, Jermaine Jenas, Edu; Michael Ricketts, Dennis Bergkamp

Subs: Steve Harper; Jlloyd Samuel; Zatyiah Knight; Pablo Counago