Roberto Di Matteo has relived his FA Cup final wonder goal for Chelsea against Middlesbrough - explaining how Mark Hughes deserves huge credit.
In his first major cup final, Di Matteo struck in just the 43rd second of the game as Bryan Robson’s recently-relegated Boro suffered the cruel early blow at Wembley. Though Boro threw everything they could to get back into the game, they conceded an Eddie Newton goal with seven minutes remaining to lose the final 2-0.
Asked about the goal, which places him in Chelsea folklore, Di Matteo recalled the amazing feeling when the ball rocketed past stand-in goalkeeper Ben Roberts and in off the crossbar. He also noted that Hughes' movement around the two Boro centre-backs ultimately created the space for the strike.
Di Matteo told Four Four Two Magazine: “I remember we had dinner together the night before the match and I was quite nervous. It was my first major final and a huge occasion for the club. Ruud [Gullit] came over to me and said: ‘Don’t worry, lovely boy, we’re going to win tomorrow!’
“That really calmed me down. I remember getting goosebumps during the national anthem. Wembley was completely sold out, half blue, half red. Obviously it was unbelievable to score a goal like that so early. I dribbled into the Middlesbrough half and Mark Hughes made a run that dragged the defenders backwards.
“They just kept backing away and I thought, ‘I might have a go here’, and it came off my foot sweetly. It was crazy when the ball struck the crossbar and then the net. I started running towards the fans. We later scored a second goal and managed to get over the line. Winning the FA Cup was amazing.”
Robson recently recalled the final himself during his recent return to Teesside as a special guest for the club’s end-of-season awards event at the Town Hall. Taking part in a question and answer session, he noted how a Boro throw in ultimately brought about their downfall, with Robbie Mustoe left out of possession as a result of the set-piece, having been tasked before the game with man-marking Di Matteo.
The Italian would haunt Boro at Wembley again 12 months later as he scored Chelsea’s second in extra time of their League Cup final win over Boro.