In the sporting world, it's always more fun to root for the underdog.

That's why last spring, on May 13, 2012, the majority of England's football neutrals celebrated when Manchester City-minutes away from losing the Premier League title to rivals Manchester United-scored two goals in stoppage time to snatch the title from their greatest foes, who were in pole position to win.

However, City would find itself the favorite going into the F.A. Cup Final at London's Wembley Stadium on May 11. So when Wigan Athletic-which only entered professional competition in 1978 and boasts a budget of far less than the Blues-beat City on an added-time goal from midfielder Ben Watson to win the FA Cup, the Blues found the country seemingly celebrating a victory over them.

Wigan coach Roberto Martinez was fully aware of the scale of the victory.

"When you are a football club you dream of playing at Wembley, and today we saw the underdogs play with incredible bravery, incredible belief and they defied the odds again," he said. "That's the F.A. Cup."

Though billed as the underdog, Wigan exerted control over the opening stages of the game. And it should have been ahead on nine minutes, when winger Callum McManaman cut in from the right wing and fired a shot toward the City goal with just Blues goalkeeper Joe Hart to beat. His effort flew wide of the post, though, and the Latics had spurned a glorious chance.

City then had a chance of its own on 29 minutes, when striker Carlos Tevez sent an effort on goal from the top of the penalty box. Unfortuantely for Tevez, Latics goalkeeper Joel Robles somehow got his boot to the effort to make a miraculous save, which deflected the shot over the bar.

McManaman continued to make his presence known, and would likely have scored if not for a flying block from City right back Pablo Zabaleta. Meanwhile, the Blues could only muster a 20-yard effort from midfielder Samir Nasri, as the teams went into the break scoreless.

The game was turned on its head with less than 10 minutes to go. With McManaman bearing down on goal, Zabaleta threw himself at the Wigan winger in an attempt to halt his attack. That challenge ultimately proved costly for his team, as he was shown a red card, reducing City to 10 men with less than 10 minutes to play.

Just before the start of injury time, the Latics, who boasted a man-advantage, had a claim for a penalty when McManaman was knocked over by City right back Gael Clichy as he bore down on goal. And while Andre Marriner didn't award a spot kick, he did signal for a corner kick as the game ticked past the 90-minute mark.

Any justice that Wigan sought was then delivered. Midfielder Shaun Maloney sent an out-swinging corner toward the penalty spot. Watson rose highest to power home a header toward the far corner, sending the Wigan section into bedlam.
From there, the Latics held on to secure undoubtedly the biggest victory in the club's history.

For City, it proved to be a taste of its own medicine. What's more, both injury-time games occurred on the second week in May in successive seasons.

However, given that the club ended its 44-year Premier League title drought last year, most Blues fans would have accepted losing this year's F.A. Cup Final before last year's season if it meant winning the Premier League, given the latter's increased significance-a case of accepting the lesser of two evils.

Both teams suffered in the days following the Final-City fired manager Roberto Mancini on Monday, while Wigan was relegated from the Premier League to the second-tier English Football Championship after a 4-1 loss at Arsenal on Wednesday.

For Wigan, though, the F.A. Cup Final was a victory to savor, and will likely stay in Latics folklore for many years to come.