LONDON -- Arsenal avoided FA Cup embarrassment against second-tier club Wigan on Saturday, coming from behind against the holder and winning a penalty shootout to reach the final where the London club will be looking to end a nine-year trophy drought. After extra time ended 1-1, Arsenals players scored all of their penalties and Lukasz Fabianski made two vital saves in a 4-2 shootout victory over Wigan in this meeting of the fifth-place teams in the Premier League and League Championship. Wigan went in front in regular time from the penalty spot at Wembley Stadium. Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker conceded the spot kick that Jordi Gomez converted but the German made amends by heading in the equalizer that sent the game into extra time. "In the first half we were a bit timid," Mertesacker said. "A lot of people questioned (our character) recently but how we came back today we proved a lot." A year after winning its first major trophy by beating Manchester City and then again in this years semifinals, Wigan couldnt produce another upset against a Premier League power -- much to Arsene Wengers relief. "It was important mentally," the Arsenal manger said. "If you imagine the consequences of going out tonight, it would have been quite worrying." With the second half of his 18-year reign defined by the lack of silverware, Wenger desperately needs to collect a first trophy since the 2005 FA Cup success when Arsenal returns to Wembley for the final. Arsenal will discover on Sunday whether it will face Premier League side Hull or third-tier club Sheffield United on May 17. It could be a bittersweet end to the season, though, with Arsenal at risk of missing out on the Champions League after 16 successive years. Just before kickoff at Wembley, Arsenal was dislodged from the fourth Champions League place by Everton, which beat Sunderland 1-0. What a slump it has been for Wengers side, having spent so much of the opening months of the season on top of the league. The failure to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window has come back to bite Wenger. How differently things could have turned out if he had brought in an additional striker. Instead, Wenger on Saturday was relying for goals on 21-year-old striker Yaya Sanogo, who was starting just his fourth game since joining on a free transfer before this season. Olivier Giroud was on the bench. Sanogos lack of cutting edge and pace in front of goal quickly became apparent. The Frenchman was denied by Scott Carson from close range after five minutes and again just before halftime when his unconvincing first touch to control the ball allowed the goalkeeper to thwart the attempt. If there was anything to reassure a dreary Arsenal side failing to produce the fluid football Wenger champions, it was Wigans inability to provide much attacking menace. So Arsenal gifted Wigan the opening to go in front. Mertesacker slid in with a lunge to cut out Callum McManamans run and the forward went to ground in the penalty area. After a delay while Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal received treatment elsewhere on the pitch, Gomez, a product of Barcelonas youth system, sent the spot kick beyond the reach of Lukasz Fabianski. The anger among Arsenal fans who have grown accustomed to failure was clear: Jeers greeted Wengers decision to bring Giroud on, not for Sanogo but Lukas Podolski in the 68th. The equalizer proved elusive. After Carsons save from Kieran Gibbs header sent the ball drifting toward the goal, Wigan defender Stephen Crainey scooped the ball off the line. Wigans goal was finally breached in the 82nd when it couldnt fully clear a corner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain raised the ball over the defence and Mertesacker headed in at the far post. It was a lucky escape for Arsenal, which was denied a winner in extra time when Oxlade-Chamberlain hit the crossbar but had better luck in the shootout. Fabianski saved Wigans first two penalties by Gary Caldwell and Jack Collison, while Arteta, Kim Kallstrom, Giroud and Cazorla all netted for the Gunners. "We are walking out of Wembley on paper as losers but in our own mind as winners," said Wigan manager Uwe Rosler, whose focus returns to gaining promotion back to the Premier League. Vans Sk8 Hi Clearance . According to a report from ESPN, the veteran safety has signed another one-year deal with the team Raiders, the team that drafted him, and who he returned to last year after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers. Vans Sk8 Hi Leather . Summers has seen scant playing time with the Coyotes since being selected 29th overall by the club in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, having played in 47 career NHL games. http://www.vansshoesclearancesale.com/.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills will head into the regular season short on experience at quarterback after trimming the roster on Friday. Vans Old Skool Black . Better still, its in the same team and there are 13 races left for it to develop. Vans Old Skool White .com) - Eric Fehr and Marcus Johansson each registered a pair of goals, as Washington spoiled the head coaching debut of Peter Horachek by picking up a 6-2 victory in Toronto on Wednesday.NEW YORK -- Dillon Gee expected to pitch this well in his return from the disabled list. What surprised him was the new attitude in the New York Mets clubhouse. David Wright ignited a tiebreaking rally in the seventh with a hustle double, Travis dArnaud gave Gee some cushion with a two-run drive later in the inning and New York beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Wednesday night for its first four-game winning streak in a year. In his first start in two months, Gee (4-1) pitched seven-plus dominant innings as the Mets won the first three of a four-game series against the Braves less than two weeks after being swept in Atlanta. "Its very different," Gee said. "Guys are having a lot of fun." The mood is shifting in the visitors clubhouse, too. The Braves went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position in their fourth straight loss, dropping them a game behind first-place Washington in the NL East after surging to the top of the division with a nine-game winning streak. Atlanta has scored just eight runs over the skid and is 5 for 38 (.132) with runners in scoring position over that span. "When we were winning nine in a row we were driving in the runs in situational hitting," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Obviously we are not doing that now." DArnauds long ball in the seventh came two pitches after Kirk Nieuwenhuis gave New York the lead with a sacrifice fly. The drive to left field off Ervin Santana (7-6) gave New York a homer in nine straight games at Citi Field, a team record for the stadium that opened in 2009. Wright hit a lazy liner to left-centre leading off the seventh. He slowed as he made the turn at first but then took off when he saw left fielder Justin Upton make a lackadaisical attempt to get it back in, flopping into second as Uptons late throw sailed toward the Mets dugout. Wright advanced on Lucas Dudas fly to right. "Tremendous job running the bases," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Heads up play." Duda gave the Mets an early lead with a two-out RBI single in the first. B.J Uptons RBI double in the fifth tied it 1-all. Santana scored after reaching on an infield single. In between, both starters were particularly stingy, allowing three baserunnerrs total between the second and fifth innings.dddddddddddd All three were wiped out by double plays -- two by the Mets. Activated from the disabled list to make the start, Gee slid into the rotation slot left open when Jonathon Niese went on the DL on Sunday because of a left shoulder strain. The 28-year-old Gee was on quite a roll when he strained his right lat May 10, going 3-1 with a 1.36 ERA in his last five starts. Back on the mound with a scruffy beard Wednesday, he was just as good. "I felt like I was making my debut all over again," Gee said. Gee faced the minimum 15 batters through five innings. A walk to leadoff batter B.J. Upton was wiped out by a caught stealing -- after a replay review. New Jersey native Tommy La Stella opened the third with a single but Gerald Laird grounded into a double play. "He was sailing along about as good as you can possibly do. He made pitch after pitch," Collins said. "Thats the Dillon Gee we have known to love." Gee was lifted in the eighth with runners on first and second and no outs having thrown 88 pitches. He allowed six hits, a walk and struck out four. Vic Black then got three outs to quash the rally. Jenrry Mejia gave up two hits and threw a two-out wild pitch in the ninth before striking out La Stella to loud cheers from the sparse crowd for his ninth save in 11 chances. Santana was equally tough into the seventh. After allowing a double to Daniel Murphy and Dudas RBI hit in the first, he yielded just one hit until Wright doubled. "It was a great game for both sides," Santana said. "When it is a game like that it is only going to be one way, whoever makes the first mistake, that is going to be the game right there." He allowed four runs and six hits in seven innings. Coming in, the Mets had just one run in 15 innings this season against Santana. NOTES: The Mets optioned RHP Gonzalez Germen to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room for Gee. ... Gonzalez said about Braves C Evan Gattis (back), "I dont see him being ready to play" right after the All-Star break next week. ... Up next: Atlantas Aaron Harang (8-6) and New Yorks Bartolo Colon (8-7) face off in the finale of the four-game series. ' ' '