FA Cup The Welshman stepped up to the plate in the second half of extra-time, tucking home Olivier Giroud's pass to complete a memorable cup final comeback for the Gunners
Hull were in dreamland after just four minutes when James Chester steered home a first-time volley after a cleverly worked corner-kick.
Steve Bruce's were on the rampage and it was 2-0 to the underdogs just four minutes later when Curtis Davies pounced to knock in a rebound off the post after relentless Hull pressure.
Alex Bruce could have made it 3-0 when his looping header was cleared off the line by Kieran Gibbs as the Arsenal defence looked all at sea in the opening 15 minutes.
But Santi Cazorla curled in a beautiful free-kick in the 17th minute to get the Gunners back into the match. It was about 30 yards out, and he picked the
goalkeeper's side to aim at, which put Allan McGregor off in the Tigers goal.
Arsenal got their foot on the ball and got a foothold in the match as they probed for an equaliser up until half- time.
Arsene Wenger's side came out for the second half far more composed and controlled the possession. Olivier Giroud had a penalty appeal waved away when Tom Huddlestone pulled him back in the area.
Wenger replaced German international Lukas Podolski with French youngster Yaya Sanogo and he nearly made an immediate impact with a flying header that hit the arm of a Hull defender, again no penalty.
In the 66th minute Cazorla has yet another penalty appeal turned down when he showed some quick feet in the area and was caught by a defender's trailing leg, but the referee deemed that the ball had been won.
Gibbs had a golden opportunity to win it for Arsenal in the 79th minute when he was set up by Sanogo, but the left-back blazed his shot over the bar from seven yards. McGregor made a good save to keep out a powerful half-volley from Giroud two minutes later as the Gunners turned the screw in search of a winning goal.
Sanogo had a chance in the 90th minute as Giroud laid the ball to him on the edge of the box but his first-time shot skidded just wide of the left upright. Giroud had Arsenal's last attempt in regular time in the second minute of stoppage time as turned his marker to shoot, but McGregor got his body behind it to save as the match went into extra time.
Arsenal came out flying in extra time and were so close to finding a winner when Giroud got up to head a glorious chance against the crossbar.
Wenger's side were all over Hull as Aaron Ramsay and Santi Cazorla fired attempts off target.
The London side continued their attacking pressure in the second half of extra-time and finally got the goal their play deserved when a brilliant backheel from Giroud found Ramsay in the box and his first-time effort found the bottom corner to make it 3-2 after a sweeping Arsenal attack.
Hull City had one more gilt-edged chance when Per Mertesacker fell over while attempting a routine clearance allowing substitute Sone Aluko through on goal. Lukas Fabianski came rushing out of goal, missed the challenge, but Aluko shot wide from a tight angle when perhaps he should have squared to a teammate.
Aluko had one more long-range effort in the dying minutes from 35 yards that went through a sea of players but Fabianski dived to his right to make a vital save.
But that was it. Arsenal finally win their first piece of silverware in nine years.
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Two goals in extra-time secured back-to-back DFB- Pokal triumphs for the Bavarians, who continue their dominance of domestic competition in
Germany
Topic: Arsenal comeback ends trophy drought (Read 1397 times)
