The FA Cup has returned again this year, after Arsenal nicked the trophy just a few months ago. As the Fa Cup rolls on, surprise results will continue to come about, with this weekend being no exception.
In order to understand just how surprising an upset can be in the FA Cup, one must realize how many teams play in this prestigious soccer competition. The tournament is exclusively for British soccer clubs, however the tier of the team is not taken into consideration. Teams from the top league (The Premier League) often face off against teams from the bottom of the third or fourth leagues.
Subsequently, some of the best teams in Europe often travel to face small, local clubs in what should be, and often are high scoring games. Yet, on special occasions, the underdogs upset the rich powerhouses, with the weekend of January 23-26 having many of such occurences.
Perhaps the most surprising upset was Chelsea’s 4-2 loss to Bradford City. Chelsea, who are currently in first place in the Premier League, grabbed a 2-0 lead early in the game. Goals for Chelsea came through Brazilian midfielder Ramires, and English defender Gary Cahill.
However, Bradford City, who currently sit at seventh in England’s third tier division, scored 4 goals by the end of the game, and completed one of the most unpredictable comebacks in English soccer. In fact, former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler even called the game, “the biggest shock of all time.”
Although Chelsea’s defeat might have been the most audacious of the weekend, it was not the only out of the ordinary match. Manchester City, who currently sit at second in the Premier League lost 2-0 to Middlesbrough, who are second in the second division.
Manchester City will be especially worried, with this unprecedented lost being their second in two weeks. With Manchester City playing Barcelona, who are widely believed to be the best team in Europe, in a few weeks, they will have to no doubt increase their level of performance.
With the knockout of Manchester City and Chelsea from the FA Cup, the only “large” clubs still left in the competition are Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and West Ham United. Arsenal, the current holders of the trophy, have been named favorites to retain the title, with Manchester United coming in a close second. If soccer spectators have learned anything from this weekend, it is that anything can happen.
