Arsenal reached the FA Cup final by ending second-tier Wigans impressive title defence in a penalty shootout at Wembley Stadium, making up for the disappointment of dropping out of the Premier Leagues top four earlier Saturday. After needing an 82nd-minute goal by Per Mertesacker to force extra time at 1-1, Arsenal won the shootout 4-2 to keep alive its chances of capturing a first piece of major silverware since 2005. "We have been struggling in recent weeks but you have to deal with that," said Arsenal midfielder Kim Kallstrom, who scored the second of Arsenals four straight successful penalties. "Hopefully, its a great boost of confidence for the rest of the season." Hull plays Sheffield United in the second semifinal on Sunday. When Jordi Gomez put Wigan ahead from the penalty spot in the 63rd, it threatened to be a disastrous day for Arsenal, which was replaced in fourth spot in the league by Everton thanks to its 1-0 win at bottom-placed Sunderland. While Sunderland looks doomed -- seven points from safety with six games left -- the race to avoid the other two relegation spots heated up after huge wins for Fulham and Cardiff, who stayed in the bottom three but closed the gap to their rivals. Third-bottom Fulham beat fourth-bottom Norwich 1-0 and next-to-last Cardiff surprisingly won 1-0 at Southampton, while Aston Villa is only four points from the bottom three after losing 1-0 at Crystal Palace thanks to in-form Jason Puncheons goal. Just eight points separates the nine teams above Sunderland. Sixth-place Tottenham came from 3-0 down after 31 minutes to draw 3-3 at West Bromwich Albion thanks to Christian Eriksens injury-time equalizer, although two dropped points dents the visitors already faint hopes of Champions League football next season. Newcastles slump accelerated with a 1-0 home loss to Stoke in the days other game. It was an emotionally charged day in English football, with every league and cup match starting seven minutes later than originally scheduled to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans died in a crush in the stands during an FA Cup semifinal against Nottingham Forest. That fateful match was abandoned after six minutes, and there was a minutes silence around the countrys football grounds before kickoffs on Saturday. At Wembley, 96 seats remained empty near the halfway line for the Wigan-Arsenal match, with just a Liverpool scarf draped over each of them. Wigan -- looking to become the first team in 34 years to win the FA Cup while playing in the second tier -- again rose to the big occasion, like it did in beating Manchester City in last years final and again in this seasons quarterfinals. Another shock was on when Gomez converted from the spot after Mertesacker brought down Callum McManaman. Only then did Arsenal start to look energized and the Germany defender redeemed himself by heading in the equalizer just as Arsenal fans were starting to despair. Wigan was always up against it in the shootout after Gary Caldwell and Jack Collison had the teams first two attempts saved by Lukasz Fabianski. And Mikel Arteta, Kallstrom, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla made no mistake to give Arsenal the chance to win an 11th FA Cup. Arsenals other task in the final month of the season is overhauling Everton in the league, with the Merseyside club continuing its fine run of results to climb two points above Wengers side. Evertons display at Sunderland wasnt as fulsome as in the 3-0 win over Arsenal last weekend, but the team passed up a string of good chances -- two of which fell to Steven Naismith -- before Sunderland defender Wes Brown unwittingly turned Gerard Deulofeus cross past goalkeeper Vito Mannone. Tottenham is now six points behind Everton, having played a game more, but showed great spirit in a stirring comeback at The Hawthorns, completed when Eriksen drove a rising shot into the net in the fourth minute of stoppage time. The recovery looked unlikely after goals by Matej Vydra and Chris Brunt inside four minutes and a third by Stephane Sessegnon put West Brom 3-0 ahead with barely a half hour gone. Jonas Olssons own goal reduced the deficit in the 34th and Harry Kanes 70th-minute header gave Tottenham further hope, before Eriksens late goal left the team three points ahead of Manchester United in the chase for a Europa League berth. Austin Barnes Jersey . Chelsea ripped apart Hull inside 25 minutes at Stamford Bridge, with the early goals from Oscar and Frank Lampard securing a 2-0 victory. While Lampard had earlier missed a penalty, Roberto Soldado had no such trouble from the spot for Tottenham, scoring on his debut to clinch a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Justin Turner Dodgers Jersey . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video. https://www.cheapdodgersonline.com/. Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks were proof of that on Wednesday night. Kyle Garlick Jersey . CBS Sports Jon Heyman is reporting that Santana will sign a one-year deal, likely in the next two days with one of a trio of suitors, with the Toronto Blue Jays believed to be heavily involved. Los Angeles Dodgers Shirts . New York secured second place in the Metropolitan Division when the Philadelphia Flyers lost at Tampa Bay later Thursday. The Rangers will face either the Flyers or Columbus in the opening round of the post-season. The Rangers struggled throughout against the lowly Sabres and goalie Matt Hackett, who played in just his seventh NHL game of the season. BRISBANE, Australia -- Sloane Stephens and John Isner ensured the United States made a winning start at the Hopman Cup on Monday and virtually ended Spains chances in the international mixed team competition. Stephens, who beat Serena Williams en route to the 2013 Australian Open semifinals, won nine of the last 10 games in a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Anabel Medina Garrigues in the womens singles before Isner beat Daniel Munoz-de La Nava 6-3, 6-4. Stephens and Isner then combined to win the mixed doubles match for a 3-0 victory. It was Spains second defeat in as many days in Perth after a 3-0 loss to the Czech Republic. At the Brisbane International, fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic beat 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 7-6 (6), No. 8 Carla Suarez beat Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan 6-2, 6-1, and No. 9 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia defeated Heather Watson of Britain 6-4, 6-3. Ashleigh Barty, a 17-year-old Australian qualifier, beat 2012 Brisbane finalist Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 7-5 and could face either No. 3-seeded Maria Sharapova or Caroline Garcia of France in the next round. Sharapova, who is making her return from a right shoulder injury, was due to play a night match. The four-time major winner is in the same half of the draw Williams, the defending champion. The star on the mens side is Roger Federer, who has been working with Stefan Edberg in preparation for the Jan. 13-27 Australian Open. Federer is the latest in a line of highly-ranked players who have hired past greats as coaches in the wake of Andy Murrays succcess since he started working with Ivan Lendl.dddddddddddd Novak Djokovic recently announced a partnership with Boris Becker -- a move that surprised Federer. "Not necessarily that he hired somebody ... But Becker I was surprised," Federer said. "I didnt think he wanted to become a coach. I didnt expect to see him back on tour. "Im happy seeing former greats and legends excited to be doing such a job and wanting to help the next generations. To bring them back into the game, its a good thing." In mens first-round matches, Sam Querrey upset seventh-seeded Dmitry Tursunov 7-5, 6-4, Marin Cilic had a 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Denis Istomin and Jarkko Nieminen beat local hope James Duckworth 6-2, 6-3. Marinko Matosevic ensured at least one Australian man advanced when he beat Julien Benneteau of France 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (4). At the ASB Classic tournament in Auckland, Venus Williams beat Andrea Hlavackova 6-3, 7-6 (1) to reach the second round. Venus Williams, with sister Serena, beat Hlavackoa and Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-4 in the doubles gold medal match at the 2012 London Olympics and Venus said she was aware of their history Monday. "Weve played so many important matches in doubles and finals ... Olympic finals and I knew it was going to be tough," Williams said. "I was really glad to close it out." In other first-round matches, Yvonne Meusburger beat seventh-seeded Mona Barthel 6-4, 6-3 and fifth-seeded Jamie Hampton beat wild-card entry Tamira Paszek 1-6, 6-0, 6-3. ' ' '