Chelsea into Champions League final following extra-time win
Thursday, 01 May 2008 09:09
Drogba scored twice to put Chelsea into the final
Didier Drogba struck twice and Frank Lampard converted a penalty to help
Chelsea overcome
Liverpool in extra-time of their Champions League clash.
The Blues will go on to face
Manchester United in the final in Moscow but it was not until the first period of extra-time that they were able to stretch ahead of the visitors.
Drogba scored the first goal of the night as Chelsea dominated the first half. However, the adjustments made by Reds manager Rafael Benitez at half-time had the desired effect and they got a deserved equaliser through Fernando Torres.
The Spaniard's strike forced extra-time but when Sami Hyypia fouled Michael Ballack it was Lampard who stepped forward to give his side the advantage.
Eight minutes later Nicolas Anelka set-up Drogba for what proved to be the winning goal. Ryan Babbel pulled a goal back for the Reds but Chelsea were able to hold on for an emotional win.
Chelsea enjoyed a host of chances in the first half but Drogba wasted the best one when he raced on to a clever through-ball by Lampard only to shoot wide of the target.
However, the striker redeemed himself when he pounced on a rebound that Reds goalkeeper Pepe Reina failed to hang-on to. Then Ballack narrowly missed making it 2-0 when his free-kick flew past the upright of Reina's goal.
In the second half Benitez switched Yossi Benayoun from the left flank to the right and it was the Israeli who created Liverpool's equaliser when he jinked past Drogba and Salomon Kalou before playing-in Torres.
At the start of extra-time the Blues thought they had re-taken the lead when Michael Essien nodded past Reina. However, three of his team-mates were clearly offside and the referee rightly ruled it out.
But the Chelsea fans did not have to wait long as moments later Hyypia committed an unnecessary foul on Ballack. Lampard then showed considerable fortitude to slot the spot-kick home.
Babel replaced Torres and hoped to get a penalty of his own but the referee was correctly unmoved by the Reds' appeals.
Liverpool's frustrations were compounded when Drogba made it 3-1. Although Babel gave the visitors a slim hope with three minutes remaining the Blues held on comfortably.
The 4-3 aggregate victory means Chelsea will by in the Champions League final for the first time in their history.