DROGBA DOUBLE SEALS CHELSEA VICTORY TO VINDICATE MOURINHO?

Yes, stars are born but can also be made! Which was which in this soccer encounter between Chelsea and Arsenal for the often rugged English Football Association Cup in 2007? Who cares? The unfathomable English FA Cup series has never really been a respecter of big clubs:

[ Drogba double gives Chelsea stormy League Cup victory



by Steve Griffiths 42 minutes ago

CARDIFF (AFP) - Didier Drogba fired Chelsea to League Cup final glory as his late winner clinched a 2-1 victory over Arsenal.

Drogba has been Chelsea's talisman all season as his goals have kept them in contention for four trophies and the Ivory Coast striker was the hero once again at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

He had already brought Chelsea back into the match with a fine strike to cancel out Theo Walcott's early goal and he clinched the fourth trophy of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea reign with a superb header seven minutes from full-time.

The match, already soured by the sight of Chelsea captain John Terry being carried off on a stretcher, finished controversially as Arsenal's Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor and Chelsea's John Obi Mikel were sent off in stoppage time following an ugly brawl.

"I think we showed character," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports afterwards.

"I don't think we played a great game but it was difficult," added the Portuguese after his side had been stretched by an Arsenal side full of youth team products who had impressed so much on the way to the final.

"Arsenal played a very good game, in my opinion. They showed the reason why they arrived at this game. They beat Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham with this team," Mourinho said.

"But the second-half was completely different, we dominated the game and at the end of the day I think we deserved the victory. The pity was what happened in the final (moments). I don't know what happened but it was not nice, especially for them (Arsenal).

"They played very, very good. They have a great coach and great players but football is about winning and the Cup goes to us."

The triumph was just reward for Drogba's herculean efforts this season but it was also a personal vindication for Mourinho, who has been involved in a bitter dispute with Blues owner Roman Abramovich for much of the year.

With one trophy in the bag and the possibility of further success in the Champions League, FA Cup and maybe even the Premiership, Mourinho could yet sweep the board this season.

While Wenger could find no room for the likes of Thierry Henry, Tomas Rosicky or Gilberto Silva, Mourinho named a full-strength side, with Terry able to led his side after making a quicker than expected recovery from the ankle injury he suffered against Porto in midweek.

Arsenal's youngsters showed no signs of stage-fright in the opening minutes as they took the game to Chelsea and it was no surprise when Walcott put Arsenal ahead from a corner.

When Cesc Fabregas's delivery was only half-cleared by Drogba, Abou Diaby slipped a pass through to Walcott and the teenager kept his composure to lift a curling shot over Cech from 12 yards for his first ever Arsenal goal.

Chelsea had hardly mounted an attack at that stage, but the shock of falling behind sparked them into life and within eight minutes they were level.

Michael Ballack's pass picked out Drogba on the right edge of Arsenal's penalty area and the Ivory Coast striker, given the benefit of a tight offside call, ran through to beat Manuel Almunia for his 27th goal of the season.

Fabregas, who was struck by an object thrown from the Chelsea end of the stadium just before half-time, recovered to surge into the area and fired a shot inches wide of Petr Cech's far post.

Terry can always be relied on to put his head where others fear to put their feet and he took a nasty kick in the face from Diaby as he tried to head goalwards 15 minutes into the second half.

The England defender was stretchered off with his neck in a brace and replaced by Mikel.

Chelsea shrugged off that blow to take the attack to Arsenal with Frank Lampard rattling Almunia's crossbar in the 76th minute.

Arsenal's youngsters looked increasingly weary in the closing minutes and Chelsea, sensing their chance to go for the kill, pushed forward.

The goal they had been threatening arrived in the 83rd minute when Arjen Robben swung in a cross and Drogba got in front of Philippe Senderos to bury a glancing header past Almunia.

Drogba's goal raised the temperature as Arsenal saw their trophy dreams fading and, with just moments left, Mikel and Toure were involved in a shoving match that sparked a mass brawl.

Mourinho and Wenger both ran onto the pitch to try and restrain their players, but Mikel, Toure and his Arsenal team-mate Adebayor were all sent off by referee Howard Webb.

Adebayor was so furious with the decision that he had to led off the pitch by Arsenal physio Gary Lewin in an extraordinary end to a dramatic match. ]


SOURCE: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070225/wl_uk_afp/fblenglcuparsenal