toptop
Chelsea Win Champions League on Penalties over Bayern Munich
The Guardian
Chelsea win Champions League on penalties over Bayern
Munich
• Didier Drogba slots the winner in a dramatic shootout
• Game went to penalties after extra-time finished on
1-1
These are the moments Chelsea will always cherish and
never forget. They gave everything and finally, when it was all done, they had
the European Cup in their possession and a night that will go straight in at No1
in their list of great triumphs from the Roman Abramovich era.
It was a rare form of euphoria on a night when, just
like Moscow four years ago, it came down to the gut-wrenching drama of a penalty
shootout. At one stage Bayern Munich were leading 3-1 and the Chelsea players
stood in line, heads bowed, fearing the worst. Juan Mata's effort had been saved
by Manuel Neuer and at that point Roberto Di Matteo's players knew they were on
the brink of walking past the European Cup and not being allowed to touch the
silver.
What happened next was extraordinary and went against
everything we know about the efficiency of Bundesliga clubs and penalties. Petr
Cech started the turnaround by saving from Ivica Olic and with Bayern's next
effort Bastian Schweinsteiger's shot came back off the post. David Luiz, Frank
Lampard and Ashley Cole had all beaten Neuer and suddenly, almost implausibly,
it was left to Didier Drogba with probably the last kick of his last match for
the club. What a parting gift the Ivorian may have left considering that it was
also his 88th-minute goal that had dragged this final into extra time, just as
Thomas Müller's goal looked like giving Bayern their fifth victory in this
competition.
The trophy was being adorned with red and white
ribbons by the time Drogba headed in the equaliser and when it was all over the
Bayern players were on their knees. Arjen Robben could barely be lifted from the
turf and Schweinsteiger's personal grief had started even before Drogba began
the long walk from the centre circle to the penalty area. High in the stands
Abramovich could be seen doing that little uncoordinated hop and skip, reminding
us that for all the money in the world there is no possible value that can be
put on this kind of occasion. Chelsea's owner held Di Matteo in an emotional
clinch that makes you wonder how he could possibly now move on the Italian this
summer.
This may not be the most exhilarating Chelsea team but
nobody can dispute their resolve because those final dramatic moments told only
part of the story on a night when Cech also saved Robben's penalty in the first
period of extra time. Chelsea's goalkeeper seemed to fill the entire goal at
times and probably had legitimate claims to be recognised as the most heroic
figure. There were, however, plenty of contenders.
What should not be overlooked is that Bayern are
formidable opponents on this ground, with only two home defeats here in the
Bundesliga, 49 goals scored and six conceded. They played with great adventure,
attacking from the flanks. On one side, Robben was an indefatigable opponent,
picking up the ball from deep positions and driving forward. On the other,
Franck Ribéry was a constant menace until he was injured in the foul by Drogba
that gave Robben the chance to win the game against his former club. It was a
silly trip from Drogba and Robben struck his penalty cleanly enough, low to
Cech's left. Cech smothered the shot and was first to the loose ball and for the
first time you could detect the nerves from the end where Bayern's most beery,
boisterous fans had produced a banner before kick-off describing the cup as
unser pokal – our trophy.
Chelsea had to endure some intense pressure. Not quite
as relentless as the two legs of their semi-final against Barcelona but fairly
unremitting all the same. Once again, they had to defend with great togetherness
and commitment and their opponents were left to wonder how on earth they had not
turned their superiority into goals. With some better finishing, the game would
never have reached extra time. Even then, Olic will wonder how he missed the
chance that fell to him, unchallenged, after 108 minutes of mostly one-sided
action.
Chelsea, in stark contrast, rarely threatened the
opposition's goal but it was probably inevitable when two-thirds of the stadium
was bedecked in red and their opponents had so many accomplished players. This
was a patched-up side in many ways, with John Terry watching from the stands,
another three players suspended and two centre-backs coming back from month-long
layoffs. David Luiz and Gary Cahill were outstanding. Cole showed, once again,
that he is one of the great big-game footballers and behind them they had a
goalkeeper delivering a giant performance.
Chelsea may not have offered a great deal going
forward but they played as though affronted by the suggestion that Terry's
absence would play a critical part.
Their tactics were epitomised by Ryan Bertrand's
involvement on the left of midfield, often doubling up with Cole so that Chelsea
effectively had two full-backs in close proximity to Robben. In midfield,
Lampard curbed his natural attacking instincts to play a more conservative role
alongside Mikel John Obi. Di Matteo had set up Chelsea to play very much as the
"away" team, meaning Drogba was often isolated in attack. In the end, you would
have to say the manager got it spot on.
Their resistance broke only once, on 83 minutes, when
Müller stole in behind Cole to score with a stooping header. A lesser side would
have hoisted the white flag but what has become very apparent since Di Matteo
took over from André Villas-Boas is that is not the way of this Chelsea team.
Mata's corner was whipped across the penalty area and Drogba was fast and
decisive, flashing his header into the top corner.
Then the penalties arrived and with their first three
attempts, Philipp Lahm, Mario Gomez and, remarkably, Neuer, all scored. At that
stage who could have imagined Terry would be walking up the steps to help
Lampard lift the trophy?
The Sun
Chelsea win the Champions League
Bayern Munich 1 Chelsea 1 (aet) - Blues win 4-3 on
penalties
Chelsea were crowned European champions last night
after a dramatic penalty shootout in Germany.
For Blues owner Roman Abramovich, this was not a
dream, it was an obsession. In his nine years at Stamford Bridge, he has axed
eight managers, signed 66 players and spent over £1billion.
But even the Russian could not have imagined that an
ageing squad and a rookie manager would finally bring home the trophy he
describes as football’s holy grail.
On a night of tension and excitement, Roberto Di
Matteo’s men had looked dead and buried more than once.
Thomas Muller gave Bayern the lead on 83 minutes only
for Didier Drogba to level with a powerful header from Juan Mata’s 88th-minute
corner.
Striker Drogba then went from hero to villain as he
brought down Franck Ribery inside Chelsea’s box in the opening stages of
extra-time.
But Petr Cech denied former Blues winger Arjen Robben
from the resulting penalty.
The drama did not end there, though, as Chelsea
struggled with fatigue, lost the toss as the game went to penalties and were
forced to embark on a shootout in front of Bayern’s fans.
Mata missed Chelsea’s first spot-kick to give Bayern
the upper hand after Philipp Lahm had opened the scoring.
Mario Gomez made it 2-0 before David Luiz eventually
got Chelsea off the mark.
But Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer appeared to put the
trophy out of Chelsea’s reach by netting to make it 3-1.
Frank Lampard gave the Blues hope before the drama
really unfolded when Cech denied sub Ivica Olic brilliantly and Ashley Cole
brought Chelsea level at 3-3.
Then when midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger missed, it
was probably only fitting that Drogba, who had carried Chelsea to the final,
should bury the crucial kick.
All the early pressure came from Bayern as they
attempted to torture Chelsea using the pace of wingers Ribery and Robben.
The first sight of goal fell to Bayern as Toni Kroos
unleashed a right-footed drive that flew past Cech’s right-hand post.
Even at an early stage, it was evident Bayern were
going to see far more of the ball and Chelsea were likely to rely on quick,
counter-attacking football — just like they did against Barcelona in the
semi-finals.
Yet it was near suicidal defending from Jose Boswinga
that almost handed Bayern the initiative when he made a complete hash of
clearing Lampard’s backpass.
It needed a breathtaking save from Cech to deny
Robben.
The Dutchman was poised to wheel away in celebration
but saw the ball come off the keeper’s leg and divert on to the angle of the
post and bar.
If Chelsea were going to overcome a side that had won
seven straight home games en route to the final, they were going to do it the
hard way.
Muller should have given Bayern the lead, firing wide
with a volley from a pinpoint Diego Contento cross.
Chelsea then produced their best move of the half nine
minutes before the break.
Drogba cushioned the ball and laid it off to Lampard,
who found Salomon Kalou. He strode forward before firing in a shot that Neuer
did well to save at his near post.
It brought an instant reaction from Bayern but the
outstanding Gary Cahill was equal to Gomez as the striker attempted to turn and
get his shot away.
After the break Bayern picked up where they had left
off, with Robben ballooning the ball over having raced into Chelsea’s box before
Ribery found the net on 54 minutes — only to see his effort ruled out for
offside.
Ashley Cole then came to the Blues’ rescue, blocking a
goalbound shot from Robben.
Even Chelsea’s talisman Drogba began to sit deep,
leaving the Blues with few attacking options when they did manage to clear the
ball.
Robben was continuing to play like a man possessed but
even he was becoming frustrated by his side’s inability to turn possession into
clear-cut chances.
With 12 minutes left, Muller had a great chance to put
Bayern ahead but lost his footing and fired wide.
But his luck changed on 83 minutes when his superb
downward header beat Cech to make it 1-0.
Di Matteo threw on Fernando Torres for Kalou with six
minutes left and, with time running out, they won a corner on the right.
Mata stepped up and his delivery found Drogba, who
powered his header home.
But barely minutes into extra-time, Drogba took away
Ribery’s legs inside Chelsea’s penalty area.
Robben stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick but
Cech came out on top.
Again Bayern came back at Chelsea and should have
regained the lead through Olic — but he shot inches wide when unmarked.
The Blues were now playing for penalties, a dangerous
tactic given England’s record against German sides and their spot-kick pain
against Manchester United in 2008.
Luckily, for Abramovich, his ageing stars had not read
the script.