Adam Federici howler sends Arsenal back to FA Cup final

Alexis Sanchez sent holders Arsenal back to the FA Cup final as the Chile winger benefitted from Reading goalkeeper Adam Federicis howler to seal a 21 win at Wembley on SaturdayArsene Wengers team struggled to impose themselves on their Championship opponents for much of a tense semifinal and were forced into extratime after Garath McCleary struck in the second half to cancel out Sanchezs openerReadings Australian goalkeeper Adam Federici walks off the pitch after losing 21 the FA Cup semifinal between Arsenal and Reading at Wembley stadium in London PicAFPThe Gunners avoided the lottery of a penalty shootout thanks to a gift from Australian international Federici who allowed Sanchezs shot to slip agonisingly through his grasp in the first period of extratimeArsenals competitionrecord 19th FA Cup final appearance will be against Liverpool or Aston Villa who meet in the second semifinal on SundayWenger had warned his players to heed the lesson of last seasons FA Cup semifinal victory when they needed a penalty shootout to see off secondtier Wigan but they clearly didnt take his message on boardA day that would end in abject misery for Federici had started promisingly as he got down at his nearpost to keep out Per Mertesackers headerThe Royals have slumped to 19th in the second tier table and were playing in the semifinals for the first time in 88 yearsYet although Mesut Ozil went close with a curling freekick Arsenal rendered impotent by Readings relentless pressing were well short of the sparkling form they had showed in winning 16 of their previous 18 matchesWengers side eventually broke the deadlock in the 39th minute with a fine goal out of character with the rest of their rather tepid performanceOzil took possession 30 yards from goal and sensing that only a speedy delivery would unhinge Readings massed defence unfurled a perfect firsttime pass towards SanchezThe Chilean still had plenty to do to make the most of his teammates creativity but he was more than equal to the task nimbly controlling on his thigh and then cleverly sidestepping McCleary before slotting a low shot under Federici for his 21st goal of the seasonSloppy ArsenalThat should have been the springboard for Arsenal to close out the tie yet they made a subdued start to the second half and Reading snatched an equaliser in the 54th minutePavel Pogrebnyak did well to dig out a cross just before the ball ran out of the play and the Russians delivery floated beyond the far post where McCleary stretched for a volley that took a slight deflection off Kieran Gibbs and hit slowtoreact goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny on the leg before looping into the netMertesacker was forced off with an injury to add to Arsenals anxiety and the Gunners were fortunate not to concede a penalty when Hal RobsonKanus cross was handled by Mathieu DebuchyGabriels goalbound header cannoned off the bar as Arsenal tried to turn the momentum back in their favourWenger then sent on Giroud in place of Welbeck and he must have wished Arsenals next chance had fallen to the France striker instead of Gabriel who should have buried Ozils cross but headed tamely over from closerangeAaron Ramsey was guilty of an even worse miss in the 84th minute when the Arsenal midfielder somehow contrived to hit a post from no more than two yards after his initial shot was blocked by FedericiTaken to semifinal extratime by Championship opposition for the second successive season Arsenal remained short of inspiration although Ramseys longrange effort almost creeped in under FedericiIt was a narrow escape for Federici but his luck ran out in the final seconds of the first half of extra timeOzil fed Sanchez down the left side of the penalty area and he cut inside to hit a weak shot straight at Federici only for the Australian to let the ball squirm through his grasp and trickle over the line