Chelsea's Didier Drogba celebrates with team mate Ashley Cole after scoring during the FA Cup Final
SPITTING out the dummy one week and sipping a Double the next – all part of being the complex figure of Didier Drogba.
The striker had the biggest of strops in the first half of Chelsea’s Premier League title-winning victory over Stoke after not being allowed to take a penalty.
Yesterday
he was Mr Cool as everyone else was in danger of losing it after
squandering so many chances, slotting in his sixth goal in six Wembley
appearances.
Chelsea
struck the woodwork five times while an outplayed Portsmouth missed a
penalty. If Kevin-Prince Boateng had scored he would have been a Prince
among thieves because relegated Pompey with their physical approach
didn’t deserve anything.
There
was no fuss from Drogba when Chelsea were awarded a late spot-kick.
Lampard was allowed to assume responsibility only to hammer wide.
So
Carlo Ancelotti in his first season landed the League and Cup double
for the first time in Chelsea’s history – only the seventh club to
achieve this feat. Eat your heart out, Jose Mourinho. As for Portmouth,
leaving parties don’t come much grander than staging one at Wembley.
Ahead
of the expected exodus of manager and players, Pompey had been hoping
to take the famous old pot home with them. The last time it was at
Fratton Park just two years ago at least they could afford the polish
to clean it.
Grant’s side
were looking for another miracle similar to the semi-final here which
accounted for Spurs. It wasn’t to be. A bigger miracle it seems these
days is to have a proper playing surface at the so called home of
football. If you had grass like this at home following yet another
expensive returfing operation you would expect a full refund.
In
the early stages the ball was treated like a bouncing bomb rather than
something to caress as it bobbled on yet another new surface with so
much sand showing that maybe instead of boots, buckets and spades
should have been the order of the day. Luckily for Chelsea Lampard is
able to display his creative talents on just about any standard of
pitch.
Whether it’s
pristine or potholed doesn’t matter to the midfielder. Twice the
England midfielder, who has once again topped the 20 goals mark, had
James scrambling on his goal line, the first attempt flashing just
wide, the second leaving its imprint on the top of the post.
James
did well to block Nicolas Anelka at the near post before Portsmouth
came so close to taking the lead. Aruna Dindane crossed from the right
and Boateng’s volley from beyond the far post arrowed towards Frederic
Piquionne only for Petr Cech to show marvellous reflexes.
After
that Chelsea took control and but for one of the worst misses witnessed
at the famous stadium, a fine stop from James and the woodwork rattled
on four more occasions, Ancelotti’s side would have been home and dry
by half-time.
First the
miss. Ashley Cole brilliantly controlled Florent Malouda’s long ball
before skipping to the by line and presenting the opening goal on a
plate for Salomon Kalou. Somehow unmarked from four yards the Ivory
Coast striker contrived to hit the bar.
A
John Terry header from a Malouda free-kick met the same fate while
James showed at the age of 39 he can still rise to the occasion, with
an agile leap and strong hand to touch a fierce Drogba free-kick on to
the underside of the bar. Portsmouth hearts sank as the ball landed on
the line amidst Chelsea claims for a goal. The officials got it right
and Avram Grant’s side survived.
But
for how long? Drogba caused more problems in a packed penalty box
before stabbing against the post. Portsmouth’s luck was also in when an
ankle-high challenge on Michael Ballack by Boateng only produced a
yellow card instead of a red. The German paid the price, eventually
being replaced by Juliano Belletti.
Ten
minutes after the break Belletti was guilty as he brought down Dindane
inside the box, an easy decision for referee Chris Foy.But Boateng’s
spot-kick was low and down the middle and Cech stuck out a foot to
break Pompey hearts.Two minutes later they burst as Chelsea finally
scored.
Drogba was
hacked down by Aaron Mokoena but instead of rolling around in mock
agony he picked himself up and from 25 yards found a gap in the
defensive wall and again struck wood – only this time the bounce was in
Chelsea’s favour and Drogba celebrated his 34th goal of the season.
It
maintained his Wembley record – a sixth goal in his sixth appearance.
With just two minutes of normal time remaining Michael Brown tripped
Lampard inside the area.
Up stepped the England man but drove his spot-kick wide. Luckily it didn’t matter. It might do in South Africa.
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