Live Blog: FA Cup Semifinal – Chelsea against Arsenal

This is the Live Blog post for the FA Cup Semifinal – Chelsea against Arsenal. Live updates will start around 15-20 minutes before the start of the game, or roughly 17:00 GMT (12:00 EST).

Starting lineups are in for today’s match.

Chelsea – Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Cole, Ballack, Lampard, Essien, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba

Arsenal – Fabianski, Eboue, Toure, Silvestre, Gibbs, Walcott, Fabregas, Diaby, Denilson, van Persie, Adebayor

1′ – And the game starts with a capacity crowd at Wembley. Arsenal with most of the possession but no shot on goal.

3′ – Arsenal looking sharp early in the match as Chelsea look to slow the pace down.

4′ – Fabianski comes out of the box to play a ball but mistimes it and Drogba nearly heads it for a goal, but Gibbs makes the save. Nearly a costly mistakes by the Arsenal keeper.

6′ – Walcott with a nice run with the ball into the box but Terry is there and nothing comes from it. Arsenal still with the majority of the possession so far.

10′ – Chelsea starting to get some momentum as Essien earns a free kick. Alex with a try but it hits the wall.

11′ – Another free kick, this one earned by Cole, sent in my Lampard but a foul committed and possesion back to Arsenal.

14′ – A free kick for Arsenal as Lampard with a late challenge on Walcott. van Persie to take the kick but its a poor ball that’s cleared out by the defense.

15′ – Neither team with many chances, and the only serious one from Drogba on the mistake from Fabianski.

18′ – Adebayor with a pass to Gibbs in the box who sent a cross to Walcott who volleys it in the back of the net, Arsenal lead 1-0 on the Walcott goal. It wasn’t a great shot but it deflected off Ashley Cole’s hand and Cech had little chance of saving that one.

22′ – Arsenal playing with lots of confidence and have been the sharper team early.

23′ – Malouda gets a shot from a wide position in the box and it just goes wide. Fabianski looked a bit out of position on that one and hasn’t had a great start to the game.

25′- Diaby with a nice run towards goal but the play is broken up.

26′ – Drogba with an ambitious try but its over the net for a goal kick.

30′ – Fifteen minutes left in the first half and Arsenal with the lone goal, leading 1-0.

31′ – Chelsea yet to hold possession and sustain an attack in the final third.

33′ – Malouda with a goal and it’s 1-1, A long pass sent to the Chelsea player, who beat the defender and Fabianski near post. It was poor defense, giving him too much time and space, and Fabianski has looked a little suspect in goal so fa

37′ – Arsenal looking very bad in their own end as they turn it over and Anelka’s shot hits the post.

38′ – A corner for Chelsea that Lampard sends in but its cleared out. All the momentum has been taken by Chelsea inthe last 5 minutes.

39′ -  A yellow card for Ivanovic for a wreckless challenge on van Persie.

42′ – The game starting to settle down as just a few minutes until halftime. Possession is about even now but Chelsea with the better chances the last 10 minutes.

44′ – Ballack with a yellow card for a late challenge.

45′ – Arsenal took control of the match early but Chelsea haev taken the momentum back the last 15 minutes of the half and had more chances. Two more minutes to be added.

45′+2 – Chelsea with possession for one last chance before halftime. Anelka with a header but its easily saved by Fabianski. And the whistle sounds for halftime with the score, 1-1 on goals from Malouda and Walcott.

46′ – The second half starts with Chelsea in possession.

47′ – A free kick for Arsenal about 35-40 yards from goal taken by van Persie but cleared by the defense.

48′ – Adebayor with a shot from the edge of the box but its off target.

51′ – Chelsea with most of the possession in the last few minutes but can’t get a shot or any chances.

52′- A cross sent in by Arsenal but Terry is there to defend Adebayor.

54′ – Anelka and Lampard link up for a great chance but the Arsenal defense clears it out for a corner kick.  The corner is cleared out by Denilson but Chelsea retain possession and earn another one.

55′ – Lampard sends it in but its cleared out again. Chelsea starting to take momentum and are putting pressure on the Arsenal defense.

58′ – Arsenal with possession the last few minutes but unable to convert on any chances. Walcott with a cross across goal but van Persie just misses it and it would have probably been a goal if he would have gotten on the end of that cross.

62′ – A corner kick for Arsenal to be taken by van Persie, but Ivanovic heads it out of the box.

64′ – Cole with a foul on Walcott and a free kick about 35 or so yards from goal. van Persie steps up to take it but its a poor ball and cleared out.

66′ – Walcott with a great run and sends a cross in which deflects to van Persie for a shot but its over the goal and not very close.

68′ – Lampard with a nice through ball to Drogba who sends a cross back into the box and Lampard’s volley is just wide of the net.

70′ – Malouda  with a shot thats blocked, and another shot but the second is wide of the net. Replays show Arsenal could have been called for a handball a few minutes ago but caught a lucky break.

73′ – A yellow card for Denilson and a free kick about 35 yards from goal for Chelsea. Lampard takes the kick and it hits the wall.

76′ – van Persie out and Arshavin in for Arsenal.

78′ – About 15 minutes of time left including stoppage time.

79′ – Eboue with a bad play and Drogba gets a chance in the box but his last touch his off the mark and its out for a goal kick.

80′ – A free kick about 40 yards out for Chelsea. Lampard sends it in the box but its out for a goal kick.

82′ – Kalou in and Anelka out for Chelsea. Adebayor out and Bendter in for Arsenal.

84′ – A goal for Chelsea, Didier Drogba makes it 2-1 Chelsea. A long ball sent and Fabianski makes a poor decision to play a ball just on the edge of the box. The goalkeeper didn’t win the ball, Drogba took it and scored in the empty net. That was squarly the fault of the keeper.

86′ – Denilson out and Nasri in for Arsenal. Only about 5 minutes or so left for Arsenal to tie the game.

88′ – A yellow card on Toure for a late challenge on Drogba.

90′ – Chelsea holding possession and looking to waste time as Arsenal are showing some desparation looking for the equalizer. Gibbs cross is sent in but Cech easily catches it and sends it to midfield.

90′+1 – 3 minutes of stoppage time to be added.

90′+2 – A corner kick for Arsenal but its cleared by the defense.  And now several players down in the box with injuries. The replay shows a nasty head to head collision but both players are up on their feet and appear to be alright.

90′+4 – Play starts back up and Chelsea with possession looking to kill time.

90′+5 – The final whistle sounds and Chelsea win 2-1 over Arsenal on Drogba’s 2nd half goal. Chelsea will face the winner of tomorrow’s other semifinal Manchester United/Everton.