FA Cup: Arsenal ease into FA Cup semis

Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0 (full-time)

Footballer of the Year contender Robert Pires made a brief but decisive appearance for Arsenal as they stormed into the FA Cup semi-finals with a convincing win.

The Frenchman, who along with Dennis Bergkamp were the stars of the show, opened the scoring after just 62 seconds before supplying the Dutchman with a pass for the second in the ninth minute.

A knee injury - not thought to be too serious - forced Pires off midway through the first half, but he had already done the damage to Bobby Robson’s side.

Sol Campbell headed a third five minutes into the second half to end Newcastle’s hopes of a first FA Cup success since 1955.

England goalkeeper David Seaman was kept out of the starting line-up by his understudy Richard Wright, but fellow old stager Tony Adams and young England full-back Ashley Cole did return to the Arsenal defence.

Kieron Dyer started for Newcastle for the first time in eight games despite suffering from a virus following his recovery from a fracture in his foot, but Gary Speed and Jamie McClen were out injured.

The Gunners took the lead with their very first attack after a minute and it came from Pires.

Bergkamp got a lucky ricochet to turn his marker but then displayed excellent vision to spread the ball into Pires’ run to the left-hand edge of the box.

The Frenchman, playing with immense confidence at the moment, despatched the ball into the net with a first time side-foot shot across Shay Given for his 13th goal of the season.

Bergkamp went close to doubling the lead in the fifth minute when his curling right-foot shot struck the crossbar and bounced back into play after Nikos Dabizas had given him too much space.

Arsenal did score a second in the ninth minute and it stemmed from a flowing passing move which ended with Pires returning the compliment to Bergkamp.

Pires was released down the left flank by Sylvain Wiltord and his low centre was tucked away with ease by the Dutchman.

Newcastle spurned two glorious chances within seconds of each other to get back into the game in the 18th minute.

Sylvain Distin found room on the left of the box but his low centre ran agonisingly across goal and when Nolberto Solano retrieved the ball and crossed from the right Andy O’Brien headed the ball wide when it seemed easier to score.

Pires then went down worryingly for Arsenal as he and Dabizas challenged for the ball near the touchline and he received treatment off the field.

Shearer went close four minutes later with an opportunistic chip from 20 yards that drifted just wide after he spotted Wriht off his line.

Bergkamp then felt he should have won a penalty in the 26th minute when O’Brien’s poor control allowed him in, and there appeared to be some contact as the pair went to ground.

Pires was unable to continue and was carried off on a stretcher to a standing ovation from the Highbury crowd, having damaged his knee ligaments, although not too seriously as reports suggested he was walking around the dressing room at half-time.

He had had an enormous impact on the game despite only playing in a quarter of it.

Newcastle were now creating the better chances and Laurent Robert’s deflected free-kick after half an hour tested Wright, who gathered the rebound as Clarence Acuna ran in to pounce.

Robert was putting in an excellent industrious performance in midfield and in the 38th minute he skipped past one challenge before releasing Cort on the right, who fired his shot way over the crossbar.

The game was lifted from a momentary lull by an incisive through-ball by Fredrik Ljungberg to Wiltord in the inside-left channel but Given raced from his line to block the French striker’s shot.

Ljungberg then tested Given himself in first-half injury time, taking a shot early which the Ireland goalkeeper had to parry as he moved from right to left on to Patrick Vieira’s pass through the middle.

The game was put out of sight for Bobby Robson’s team five minutes into the second half when Bergkamp curled in a free-kick from the right and Campbell powered a header past Given from six yards out.

Bergkamp was a constant danger and he almost grabbed his second in the 52nd minute, running across the edge of the box before finding room for a curling right-foot shot which struck the post.

Bergkamp then tried to turn provider in the 61st minute when his pinpoint ball into the box dropped onto the left foot of Vieira whose volley which looked destined for the net was blocked.

Arsenal were showboating now and Edu dribbled through the Newcastle defence as if he were involved in a kickabout on Copacabana beach before teeing up Bergkamp for a shot which went just wide after 65 minutes.

Seconds later Wright showed his concentration levels were still right up when he palmed a Cort header wide following a good cross from Shearer.

Cort did head the ball home after 75 minutes from Acuna’s cross but he was clearly offside and the goal was disallowed.

Within seconds substitute Gilles Grimandi had a chance to rub salt into Geordie wounds as he raced clean through but with players in support he opted to shoot, but his effort had neither the power nor the placement to beat Given.

The final minutes were played out with little passion as Newcastle knew they were out, Shearer having a shot from a tight angle blocked and substitute Lomana Lua Lua firing an effort way over the top as Arsenal progressed to the final four.