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Sanchez's amazing strike highlights Arsenal's latest FA Cup triumph

Arsenal ended the 2014-15 season the same way it started – by winning a trophy at Wembley.

A wonder strike from Alexis Sanchez all but sealed a second straight FA Cup crown for the Gunners, who also got goals from Theo Walcott, Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud to beat Aston Villa 4-0 in the final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

This marks the 12th time Arsenal has won the FA Cup, breaking a tie with Manchester United for the most titles in the oldest soccer competition in the world. The North Londoners beat Hull City to win the FA Cup last season and snap a nine-year trophy drought, and they beat Manchester City to win the Community Shield last August and kick off this season.

Arsenal looked better for much of the day and dominated possession. Manager Arsene Wenger decided to start the speedy Walcott over Giroud up top, and Walcott punctuated a lively afternoon by opening the scoring in the 40th minute with a beautiful left-footed strike in the box.

Aston Villa tried to turn the game into a physical affair and outmuscle its foe, but Arsenal’s pace and skill nullified those tactics.

Still, Villa came out of halftime with renewed purpose. At least until the 50th minute:

Sanchez’s strike marked the 25th goal of his first season with Arsenal, and curiously enough it was his first goal against Aston Villa, who had already lost 3-0 and 5-0 to the Gunners in the Premier League this season.

Mertesacker added a header in the 62nd minute and Giroud finished off Villa with a flick in stoppage time. On Mertesacker’s goal, he slipped Villa striker Christian Benteke, who has been the subject of transfer talk over the past few weeks and played like he was wearing the claret and blue for the last time.

Villa, which features American goalkeeper Brad Guzan, was denied its first major trophy since winning the League Cup in 1996, and it still hasn’t won the FA Cup since 1957.