Feature

The view from North America

FA Cup Final 2014 - View from North America

Arsenal's dramatic FA Cup final victory against Hull City sparked wild celebrations from Gooners around the world. We asked Arsenal.com's USA editor for the lowdown on how fans in North America greeted the result...

"On Saturday morning, confidence was high among Arsenal fans across the United States and Canada. For years we had lived through the heart-wrenching near misses and the stressful final days. We had all been waiting years for this moment.

"We showed up early and packed bars and pubs to the rafters just to get the chance to see Arsenal finally raise that elusive trophy.

"When Arsenal supporters come together in the US and Canada, it’s always special. Few of us have local to ties to the club. Few of us grew up going to matches with family or friends. Yet we all share a deep bond. We all found Arsenal - each in our way.

Christopher Leal: PDX Gooners outside Beulahland in Portland

Christopher Leal

"In Portland, Oregon, where I watched the game with more than 100 fellow fans, we cheered and chanted at kick-off. The pub was loud and the sense was optimistic - as if nothing could go wrong.

"Of course, something did go wrong. Twice. The goal that put Hull City up 2-0 in the ninth minute was met with shock and silence.

"But strangely enough while the two-goal deficit - especially so early in the game - filled everyone with a sense of unease, our belief never wavered. We knew that we could, that we would, respond. And when Santi Cazorla got one back, we again erupted and that sense of inevitability, that this was Arsenal's time, began to return. 

"When Laurent Koscielny equalised, the pub was energised. When Aaron Ramsey put Arsenal ahead, it was euphoric.

"After the shouts, cheers and hugs began to subside, after the flutes of victory champagne had been emptied, many of us went outside to record the moment for posterity. We were Gooners sharing that long-awaited moment.

"And blocking traffic."

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