Drogba's late winner secures FA Cup
Skipper John Terry lifts the trophy
Saturday, 19, May 2007 07:05
Chelsea's Didier Drogba provided a dramatic conclusion to a dull FA Cup final with a well-taken goal deep into extra-time securing a 1-0 win for the Blues.
The result means that Jose Mourinho ends his quest for the so-called "quadruple" with two trophies after falling just short in the Premiership and Champions League.
The two teams deflated much of the pre-match hype surrounding the first FA Cup final to be played at the new Wembley as they dished out a cagey first 45 minutes.
Neither side committed numbers or creativity to attack with Frank Lampard's solid, but unspectacular effort easily claimed by Edwin Van der Sar in the only real attempt on goal.
Fortunately the game livened up after the interval with Wayne Rooney emerging in bullish mood.
The striker unsettled John Terry and Michael Essien at the heart of the Chelsea defence with a couple of powerful bursts towards the box and saw Petr Cech save smartly from his fizzing shot.
At the other end Drogba saw a clever free-kick smack the base of the post, before Frank Lampard threatened to punish a misplaced pass from Darren Fletcher before a mob of red-shirted defenders converged.
Extra-time saw more space open up on the famous turf and when Rooney was afforded space on the right flank to send a low cross skipping in towards a sliding Giggs an opener seemed inevitable.
But the Welshman made only tentative contact with the ball and Cech was able to smother.
With just four minutes to go before a third successive Cup final shoot-out Drogba laid a pass off to Lampard, powered onto the return and steered the ball beyond Van der Sar to snatch the trophy.