Arsenal will defend the FA Cup in next month’s final after Adam Federici’s extra-time howler costs Reading this evening’s semi-final at Wembley.
The long-serving Royals goalkeeper allowed Alexis Sanchez’s 105th-minute shot to squirm through his legs to spare the blushes of his opposite number.
It was a mistake from Wojciech Szczesny which had allowed Garath McCleary to equalise for the Championship side after Sanchez had given the Gunners a half-time lead.
However, the PFA Player of the Year nominee struck again to put Arsenal on course to regain the trophy against either Liverpool or Aston Villa on May 30.
Federici had to be alert to keep out Per Mertesacker’s seventh-minute header at his near post, but the Royals held their own for the remainder of the opening 20 minutes.
Although their only threat on the Arsenal goal wasJordan Obita’s well-struck half-volley which was saved by Szczesny, they largely stifled an opponent who have won their last eight games in all competitions.
The Premier League giants began to knock on the door as the half went on as Ozil clipped a free kick narrowly wide of the post and Santi Cazorla released Sanchez to poke wide under pressure from several Reading defenders.
Eventually Arsenal’s class showed as Ozil picked out Sanchez with a fine pass which the Chilean collected before cleverly evading a couple of challenges in the box to slot through Federici’s legs on 39 minutes.
