Antonio Conte produces Jose Mourinho masterclass as Chelsea save the best until last
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Updated 20/05/2018 at 07:23 GMT
Eden Hazard scored the winner, but Antonio Conte deserves plaudits for getting his tactics right as Chelsea went back to basics in the 1-0 win over Manchester United, writes Desmond Kane at Wembley.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte
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At least the wedding won’t end in a messy divorce.
No sexy football on view, but Chelsea fans enjoyed one last royal blue love-in with Antonio Conte, a passionate, successful and eventually saturated manager who is likely to be gone before the World Cup begins on June 14.
The evening after the imperial afternoon nuptials before brought a regal version of It’s a Knockout at Wembley between two members of football’s ruling class that was every bit as compulsive as the goings on in Windsor.
If this match signals Conte’s final farewell to Chelsea two years after tying the knot in much anticipation, the Italian martinet can depart Stamford Bridge with a semblance of pride restored in his own reputation as a leader of men.
He will go with a fond farewell from the club's delighted and frazzled diehards after a rollicking day out at the national stadium.
- [MATCH REPORT: Hazard inspires Chelsea to FA Cup glory]
And two managers in Conte and Mourinho where there is no love lost. No William, but we did have a Willian.
And it was a true prince among footballers in Eden Hazard that scored Chelsea’s solitary goal, worked tirelessly amid lashings of sweat and generally provided an air of class that United, for all their largesse, lacked in the capital sunshine.
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Chelsea celebrate
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If this it for Conte at Chelsea, he can begin a fresh challenge knowing that he managed to extract a level of performance from his side that makes their fifth-place finish in the Premier League look even more of a nonsense.
How they finished 30 points behind Manchester City and out of the Champions League places a year after winning English football’s most coveted prize is likely to be uppermost in owner Roman Abramovich’s mind when he reviews his club’s campaign. And Conte’s contribution to it.
"My position does not change. I didn’t want to listen to any other proposal, as my decision was very clear, to respect my contract at Chelsea and continue my work," said Conte.
I remain on that position. In two years we won the Premier League and the FA Cup, I think that I proved in England too that I am a winner, a serial winner, despite difficulties.
Where have these Chelsea players been all season as they refused to buckle in the face of a fairly ferocious United offensive in the second half?
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FC Chelsea
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An FA Cup final victory to go with a Premier League trophy in two seasons is an achievement that is worth celebrating as a Chelsea coach, player and fan. The first of the summer wine will certainly taste a whole lot more enticing for those supporters after their side saved their best until last after an arduous and depressing campaign. To win the world's oldest knockout tournament for an eighth time is no mean feat.
The biggest compliment you can pay Conte, who has looked more Godforsaken than the Godfather in recent times, and his team from a predictably chaotic 95 minutes or so at Wembley is that this was an effort hewn from Mourinho’s blueprint: score first, defend astutely, soak it up, ride your luck and finally win the trophy.
It was a subject the former Chelsea manager Mourinho warmed to later.
"I am quite curious to know what you say or what people write because if my team plays like Chelsea did I can imagine what people would say. I am quite curious," said Mourinho.
It was a bit hard for us to play without (Romelu) Lukaku against a team that defends with nine players. You need that presence. Every defeat hurts but I go home with the feeling we gave everything. No regrets.
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Antonio Conte, José Mourinho, Chelsea, Getty Images
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The match was settled on 22 minutes as United toiled against an opponent whose shape was ripe for winning a Cup final with Gary Cahill, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta demonstrating the art of mindfulness.
Cesc Fabregas chipped a delightful ball for Hazard to control and run at the seemingly one-paced Phil Jones, who ended the day resembling Rambo after suffering a head knock.
It reminded you of a similar moment when the Belgian did likewise to Laurent Koscielny at Stamford Bridge last season before he walloped the ball into the net. Here he was stopped illegally.
Just like Arsenal then, the outcome did not end well for United as Hazard’s legs pumped like pistons in racing straight at the befuddled centre-half. God help England if this scenario unfolds at the World Cup finals next month.
Rather than felling Hazard early, the defender made a hazardous choice to go for the last-ditch effort inside his area, timed it all wrong and gave referee Michael Oliver the simplest of choices to award a penalty.
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Manchester United's Phil Jones brings down Eden Hazard of Chelsea
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It was accidental rather than malicious allowing Jones to be spared a straight red under the new rules as Conte waved an imaginary red furiously on the touchline.
It proved a momentary stay of execution as Hazard - on his 300th appearance for the club - rolled the ball to David de Gea’s left while the goalkeeper opted right.
United were lamentable in the first half, but finally awoke to their plight in the second half as they pushed Chelsea back with all their might.
But again one wondered where they had been in the first period as Thibaut Courtois twice made exceptional stops from Marcus Rashford with United suddenly trying a salvage operation.
While Alexis Sanchez had a goal ruled offside that VAR proved was the correct call after Courtois had dived to halt a Jones header, Chelsea could have settled it when the exceptional N'Golo Kante played in Marcos Alonso only for his shot to be beaten out by De Gea
United’s final notable chance came when Pogba saw a free header drop wide of goal on 81 minutes.
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Paul Pogba (L) and Chris Smalling
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Pogba was an indifferent contributor. For a net spend of £127m in 2017/18, second place in the Premier League, 19 points adrift of City, is not really what United’s fans seek longer term.
As Conte celebrated, Mourinho wandered onto the pitch to console his players, particularly the semi-fit Romelu Lukaku, who was left on the bench until the 73rd minute. But the red half of the stadium were already exiting the venue.
They had seen enough. No trophies for United is not really good enough, as the former United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic had pointed out beforehand.
Mourinho is apparently going to be handed another £150m to spend this summer. He can't afford to return to this juncture a year from now.
Despite much huffing and puffing in the second half, it is difficult to agree with Mourinho’s assertion that his side were unfortunate.
"I congratulate them because they won but I don't think they deserved to win," said Mourinho, who would have wallowed in winning this 1-0.
I congratulated them. I am Manchester United manager and I have to be respectful, not just because they are my previous club but because they are the opponents today but I think we deserved to win.
In 15 Cup finals and 12 victories, this was the first time Mourinho has lost in normal time. Whether or not Chelsea were negative is neither here nor there. To the victors, the spoils.
This was a victory that was old school Jose. For Antonio, parking the bus has never felt so sweet.
Desmond Kane at Wembley Stadium
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