London (AFP)

Leicester won the first FA Cup in its history on Saturday by beating Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea (1-0) thanks to a magnificent strike from Youri Tielemans in the top corner, in front of 21,000 spectators admitted to Wembley.

This defeat sounds like a stinging setback for Chelsea, who were denied the equalizer by VAR one minute from the end of regulation time, two weeks before the Champions League final in Porto against Manchester City.

Still not guaranteed to play the next C1 via the championship, the Londoners still have three matches this season, two in the Premier League, and their European final, to avoid a huge disappointment.

For the Foxes, who had lost their previous four finals in the competition, the last dating back to 1969, it is the reward for the hard work carried out by Brendan Rodgers since his arrival in February 2019.

It is also a form of revenge for the Northern Irishman, associated with the title he had let slip with Liverpool in 2014, when the Reds were five points ahead with three days remaining.

- Chelsea still too harmless -

Disputed in front of 21,000 people, as part of the gradual relaxation of anti-Covid measures by the British government, this meeting did not reach new heights in terms of spectacle, despite its dramatic end.

She confirmed the defensive strength of two teams, brought to a transition game that did not really find expression on Saturday.

First German coach on the bench of an FA Cup final, Tuchel, former coach of Paris SG, could, once again, only see the difficulties of his team in creating danger.

And while Leicester didn't have a plethora of chances either, he took advantage of a ball picked up near the halfway line and passed on to their Belgian midfield metronome to make the difference.

With a straight shot, Tielemans found the right window of a Kepa who could not do anything (1-0, 63rd) to capsize the Leicester supporters.

Opposite, the Blues certainly dominated and had possession, but they very rarely worried the opposing goalkeeper before the last quarter of an hour.

In a defense abandoned by his leader, Jonny Evans, injured in the 34th minute, the young Frenchman Wesley Fofana, 20, particularly shone, like an impressive first season of maturity and relaxation.

- Werner still too discreet -

Just before half an hour into the game, Chelsea's central defense had the best opportunity, Cesar Azpilicueta just missing a ball with his head touched by Timo Werner, after a combination between Thiago Silva and Antonio Rüdiger (29th).

The Blues were then more pressing at the end of the match, a Ben Chilwell header being touched by Kasper Schmeichel and deflected on the post (78th), before the Danish international goalkeeper made an exceptional parade on a volley from Mason Mount ( 87th).

Chelsea, where Olivier Giroud had replaced, in the 83rd, a Timo Werner once again too discreet, nevertheless believed to equalize on a goal against his camp of the Foxes, in the 89th.

But the VAR canceled the goal for an offside by Chilwell at the start of the action.

Surprise English champion in 2016, Leicester wrote a new beautiful page in its history and also offered a nice gift to Jamie Vardy, his striker, who became the first player in history to have played in his 14-year career. the FA Cup rounds, from the first preliminary round, when he was playing as an amateur, to the final.

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