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Top FA Cup moments of the Premier League era

By Jocelyn Taub

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 21: Manchester United players celebrate with the trophy after The Emirates FA Cup Final match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium on May 21, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 21: Manchester United players celebrate with the trophy after The Emirates FA Cup Final match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium on May 21, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) /
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Roberto Di Matteo scores in the first minute from 25 yards

17 May 1997: Roberto Di Matteo of Chelsea shoots and scores in the first minute of the FA Cup Final against Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Chelsea won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Ross Kinnaird /Allsport
17 May 1997: Roberto Di Matteo of Chelsea shoots and scores in the first minute of the FA Cup Final against Middlesbrough at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Chelsea won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Ross Kinnaird /Allsport /

Chelsea and Middlesbrough were the finalists in the 1997 FA Cup final.

The match got off to a frenetic start when Chelsea forward Roberto Di Matteo picked up the ball in his own half. He ran freely towards goal and sent a shot flying in to the back of the Middlesbrough net. Di Matteo gave his side a 1-0 lead with just 43 seconds on the clock.

At the time it was the fastest goal to have ever been scored in any previous FA Cup Final. (Louis Saha has since gone on to surpass this record when he scored after 25 seconds in the 2009 final).

Chelsea went on to win the game 2-0. It was the London club’s second ever FA Cup trophy. The first came in 1970.

Chelsea have gone on to have lots of FA Cup successes since 1997, but Di Matteo will always be remembered for this special moment.

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