#3 Ben Watson (Wigan Athletic) vs Manchester City – 2013 FA Cup Final
Manchester City, who finished the 2012/13 Premier League season as runners-up, were the favorites to win the FA Cup that season over a Wigan Athletic side who were lying at the 18th spot in the table, about to be relegated from the League with only two games left to play.
The final was of great importance to both the teams as it would mean either club could finish the season with silverware. Due to the importance of the game, both teams defended superbly throughout the game but missed several golden opportunities to score.
It seemed that the match would go into extra-time as the score was tied at 0-0 in stoppage time. But Wigan Athletic’s Ben Watson had other plans.
In the 91st minute (90’+0:09), the midfielder rose at Joe Hart’s (City’s goalkeeper) near post to a Shaun Maloney’s corner kick and thumped his header into the far corner of the goal. It was a stoppage time winner from one of the less talked-about midfielders who had spent most of that season on the sidelines as he suffered from a broken leg six months prior to that game.
It was one of the most memorable winners scored in the history of the FA Cup. The midfielder was never considered a great player, but his goal helped his club in finishing the season as FA Cup winners, their first ever FA Cup victory. But unfortunately, it was also the first time that the FA Cup winning side was relegated from the Premier League as well.
