United 0 - 1 Chelsea (FA Cup Final a.e.t) …
Drogba (114)
One moment of genuine class in extra time from Didier Drogba helped Chelsea to claim the FA Cup and end United’s season on a note of disappointment.
Both teams were contemplating a penalty shoot-out when, with just six minutes to go, Lampard and Drogba exchanged clever passes towards the edge of United’s box. The Chelsea striker’s strength took him past a despairing Rio Ferdinand and he savoured beating Edwin Van Der Sar with a winner’s glee.
In a carbon copy of last week’s match against West Ham, Chelsea had mugged United with their only real chance of the game. But United can have no real complaints. The pre-match hype promised a feast of football from England’s top two teams. Instead, Chelsea and United served up a dog’s dinner. For Sir Alex and his team, it was the worst of all worlds – neither result nor performance satisfied.
The return of the FA Cup final to Wembley was robbed of a spectacle by two teams playing with fear. United sought to match Chelsea’s midfield power by adding Fletcher to the Carrick and Scholes central pairing. This left Rooney isolated up front. Sir Alex will say that such a set-up worked a treat at home to Roma but with Ronaldo unable to get into the game, United could find little fluency.
Worse, Sir Alex’s team was happy for the spirit of Ray Wilkins to reign supreme. Square pass followed square pass, with United content to sit back and invite Chelsea to go on the offensive. As Chelsea were suffering a similar dereliction of purpose, both formations ensured a terrible first half lacking in endeavour and invention. There were brief sorties upfield by both teams, isolated bursts of activity requiring some of the goalkeepers’ attention and the occasional moment of interest. But for the most part and with the honourable exception of Rooney, the remaining 21 players looked gripped by the terror of losing and played out the dullest 45 minutes imaginable.
At the interval, both managers reminded their players that the near 90,000 crowd and the billion-strong watching television audience deserved something altogether more substantial and it was United who began the more brightly of the two.
In the 46th minute, a Rooney shot forced Cech into a smart save after the striker conjured a chance from nothing just beyond the Chelsea box. Some 10 minutes later, Scholes flighted a wonderful ball into Giggs’ path which the winger could only volley over the bar.
Despite some improvement, United still refused to play at their normal tempo. Chelsea, programmed for one speed, continued to bore and the match slipped into extra time to widespread yawns and moans.
Again, United had the best chance of the first half when Rooney turned provider, sliding a wonderful pass into the box from the left that Giggs pushed only into Cech’s embrace. The Welshman’s momentum took ball and keeper behind the line to give United hope of a controversial opener but referee Steve Bennett signalled a foul.
Sir Alex threw on Solskjaer and Smith to snatch a late goal or boost the ranks of penalty takers but that presumption proved costly when tired legs and tired minds failed to react quickly enough to the advancing menace of Lampard and Drogba.
Chelsea’s well-worked goal gave United little time to recover. Sir Alex’s chance of a fourth Double was over. United’s FA Cup hoodoo continues.
TEAM
Van Der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Giggs (Solskjaer), Carrick (O’Shea) Scholes, Ronaldo, Fletcher (Smith), Rooney
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “The pitch was slow and I think we were tired in two or three positions. I think Cristiano (Ronaldo) looked tired today. I don’t think we played well but we didn’t deserve to win or lose it. But that’s football. I don’t think either keeper had a save [in the match], it was a kind of stalemate. There was not enough attacking momentum from either side that deserved to win the match.
“Yes, it was disappointing we were knocked out of the semi-finals of the European Cup… and the FA Cup final, given our record in it, was disappointing. It’s hard to take…but the important thing is to accept it and get on with it.
“What the players have been through in the last few months (their Premiership title victory) has been exceptional and credit for that but we couldn’t cross the line today. Maybe the number of games they play eventually gets to them.”
On The Giggs ‘Goal’ and penalty shout
“It was a penalty kick. That was the decision that should have been taken. I don’t think the linesman was in a position to see clearly if that ball was over. But there’s no question (about) Essien. The referee was in a really good position and should have seen that. It was a penalty on Giggs.”
Jose Mourinho: “We knew the game plan and how to beat them and I think the boys deserved this great moment.”
