F.A Cup Chelsea Beat Liverpool

Ramires and Didier Drogba scored as Chelsea won the FA Cup at Wembley, where Liverpool were controversially denied a late equaliser.The irrepressible Ramires put his team in front before Drogba scored his eighth goal in nine appearances on the hallowed turf – justifying boss Roberto Di Matteo’s decision to select him rather than former Reds frontman Fernando Torres.But Liverpool rallied and substitute Andy Carroll reduced the deficit, setting up an anxious final 25 minutes for Di Matteo’s men.And the Merseysiders thought they had completed a remarkable comeback when Carroll’s late header from Luis Suarez’s cross looked like it may have crossed the line before being pushed onto the underside of the bar by keeper Petr Cech.Referee Phil Dowd was not convinced the ball did go over the line, and Chelsea were able to get their hands on the trophy for the fourth time in six years.

It was a deserved victory, although Liverpool did well to make a fight of it after Drogba had put the Blues firmly in command – and became the first man to score in four FA Cup finals.Ramires netted in recent semi-final victories against Barcelona and Tottenham and maintained his knack of scoring in important games when he put Chelsea ahead in the 11th minute.Juan Mata pounced on a mistake by Jay Spearing and threaded the ball through to the Brazilian, who got the better of Jose Enrique and then fired past Pepe Reina at the keeper’s near post.And when Chelsea doubled their lead six minutes into the second half, they looked on course for a comfortable win.

Frank Lampard skipped away from the ineffective Spearing and picked out Drogba, who shot through the legs of Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel and into the far corner.But Liverpool hit back when Carroll replaced Spearing and gave his team hope with a well taken goal on 64 minutes.Jose Bosingwa was closed down on the left flank by Stewart Downing, and when the ball came in to Carroll the striker wrong-footed Blues skipper John Terry before slamming a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.Unsurprisingly, Chelsea then had to withstand a period of pressure as Liverpool pushed for an equaliser.

Cech did well to keep out a low shot from Suarez, before Carroll headed over following a cross from ex-Chelsea man Glen Johnson.Liverpool, who benefited from a goal-line decision when Luis Garcia’s Champions League semi-final winner stood in 2005, will argue that they should also have been awarded a goal after Carroll’s effort.

Chelsea may be able to thank Lady Luck on this occasion, but they can also thank Cech who, it should not be forgotten, did brilliantly to get a hand to the ball.

Drogba Leads Chelsea to Victory

Chelsea reached the Champions League knockout phase as Didier Drogba inspired them to the win they required against Valencia at Stamford Bridge. Manager Andre Villas-Boas took the bold decision to drop the vastly experienced Frank Lampard for a game that could have shaped the Blues boss's future - then saw another of Stamford Bridge's old guard prove the catalyst to confirm a place in the last 16 as Group E winners. Drogba, who has been linked with a move as he holds out for a two-year contract, was in irresistible mood and terrorised Valencia throughout, scoring a goal in each half as Chelsea ran out emphatic winners, putting the Spanish side out of the competition in the process. The Ivorian also played his part in Chelsea's second with a run of trademark power and purpose midway through the first half to set up Ramires, a goal which came just as Valencia threatened to work their way back into the game.

Villas-Boas: Drogba and Kalou are committed to the Chelsea cause

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas says both Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are committed to the Chelsea cause, despite the pair not signing new contracts. The Ivorian duo’s deals expire at the end of the current campaign and both can discuss pre-contract agreements with other sides in January. “Kalou has been offered a contract and we will continue to talk,” Villas-Boas said. “In January players are available to discuss their future. The fact they are emotionally attached to the club means we count on them. “Their compromise and success with club will never be in question.” Drogba has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, while Kalou has struggled to force his way into the first team, thanks in part to the impressive form of new signing Juan Mata. “Different players react differently,” said Villas-Boas on Mata’s impressive start. “I think the personal and social wellbeing is valuable (in adjusting to a new league). “Didier straight after joining from Marseille had a scoring spree with Chelsea. Most important is for club to support the players with this change.”

Drogba Set to link up with Van Nistelrooy

Didier Drogba is to be offered an exit route from Chelsea, in the form of a transfer to La Liga club Malaga.

The Spanish side are owned by super-rich Sheikh Abdullah ben Nasser Al Thani, a member of Qatar's ruling family, and he has told coach Manuel Pellegrini to put together a wish list for the summer transfer window.Pellegrini has asked for Drogba and Malaga officials are now planning a bid, reports the News of the World.Drogba endured a poor season by his own high standards last term and scored just 11 Premier League goals.He was hit by Malaria in the early part of the campaign and then appeared to be unsettled by the arrival of Fernando Torres from Liverpool in January.

The Blues are also searching for another forward and have already offered £30 million for Brazil international Neymar, putting Drogba's future in doubt.Malaga hope to exploit the uncertainty to tempt the 33-year-old to Spain – with the help of a massive contract.They have already proved they are capable of using their owner's riches to attract top stars to La Rosaleda, by signing ex-Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan in recent weeks.

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Chelsea 0 - 0 FC Copenhagen (agg 2 - 0)

Chelsea cruised through to the last eight of the Champions League for the sixth time in eight seasons despite being held at home by Copenhagen.
Yuri Zhirkov shot wide and Nicolas Anelka had an effort saved as Chelsea failed to add to a 2-0 first-leg lead.
The home side were give a scare when Dame N'Doye's free-kick hit the post.
The chances flowed for Chelsea but Jon Mikel Obi's header hit the Copenhagen crossbar and substitute Fernando Torres had a shot deflected wide.
Torres, who came on after 68 minutes, also burst past a defender before having a poked effort saved as he went six outings without scoring for Chelsea since his £50m January move from Liverpool.
A goal was all a Chelsea side, with the striking riches of Anelka and Didier Drogba also in their ranks, lacked on a night when they showed some glimpses of eye-catching football.
It was the type of performance which gives notice they are almost back to the kind of form which helped them to a domestic double of league and FA Cup last season.
Apart from N'Doye's rare chance for the visitors, an upset never appeared on the cards for a Chelsea side who have now lost only once at home in 26 Champions League games.
Instead, with the home side in such a commanding position from the first leg, the spotlight of match threatened to fall on whether Torres could break his goalscoring duck.
But Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti resisted placing such a focus on the Spaniard as he started with him on the bench, although Torres must have been looking on longingly as Chelsea relished their two-goal cushion by playing with freedom and fluency.
The roving runs of left-back Ashley Cole were an early feature of the Stamford Bridge side's play and he firstly laid the ball across for Frank Lampard to shoot wide before finding the side-netting with an angled shot after two well-worked moves.
Anelka was wrongly ruled offside when a simple pass for Lampard to tap in awaited, before Drogba's backheel and Cole's lay-off gave Zhirkov a strike at goal which the Russian sent just wide.

Blackpool 1 Chelsea 3

Two goals from Frank Lampard helped maintain Chelsea's Premier League revival and sent Blackpool tumbling to a second successive defeat.
John Terry gave the Blues a first-half lead after jumping unchallenged inside the box to head home a Lampard corner.
Lampard then converted from the spot following Ian Evatt's foul on Salomon Kalou and scored his second from 16 yards when put through by Kalou.
Jason Puncheon hit low beyond Petr Cech late on but it was merely consolation.
Substitute Brett Ormerod and Evatt came close at the very end for Blackpool for what would have been an astonishing ending, but at least Ian Holloway's men can take some solace from the fact that Puncheon's goal ensures the Seasiders - who are two points above the relegation zone - remain above follow battlers West Brom on goal difference.
For Chelsea, talk of a late bid for the title will increase as they are now nine points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand and a trip to Old Trafford yet to come. Their next Premier League match is against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on 20 March.
Chelsea's inspiration came from an unlikely source in the form of Kalou, who replaced the injured Didier Drogba on the hour, and provided the visitors with much-needed directness which was lacking when Drogba and the the subdued Fernando Torres were leading the attack.
He and the impressive Lampard combined impressively after the break to secure the three points against a Blackpool team which showed great character throughout.
Lampard played a part in the opening goal when terrible defending allowed Terry the freedom to jink inside the six-yard box and superbly connect with the midfielder's corner for his fourth goal of the season.
The recalled Jose Bosingwa, showing impressive energy down the right in attack but perhaps susceptible in defence, nearly doubled the advantage soon afterwards only for Richard Kingson to stretch every sinew to prevent the defender's shot from curling into the top left corner.
Prior to the opening goal, Blackpool enjoyed plenty of possession but lacked the guile and potency that the suspended duo Charlie Adams and DJ Campbell would undoubtedly have provided.
However, JPuncheon sparked the home side into life when the on loan Southampton midfielder set off on a mazy run in the 33rd minute and outmuscled David Luiz. The 24-year-old looked to have beaten Petr Cech with his low shot but, luckily for the Blues goalkeeper, the ball ricochet off the inside of the post to safety.
Blackpool were their usual entertaining selves, but Chelsea were always dangerous at set pieces and in the dying minutes of the half the alert Kingson had to punch away a Lampard corner from the path of the advancing Terry.
The home side were once again in the ascendancy after the break and appeared to have been given a slice of good fortune when Chelsea were forced into an unscheduled substitution, replacing Drogba, who had been struck above the hip, with Kalou.
But it was Kalou who was the architect of Chelsea's two goals as the lively Ivorian was brought down inside the box by Evatt, which left referee Mike Dean with little option to award the penalty. Lampard sent Kingson the wrong way to score from the spot and shortly afterwards the midfielder made it eight goals in 12 games after being put through by Kalou.
Blackpool now faced an almost impossible task, which was was made all the more more difficult when Kingston was forced from the field with a knee injury and was replaced by reserve goalkeeper Mark Halstead for his Premier League debut.
Ian Holloway's side fought until the end and maintained their record of scoring in every home game when Crainey caught Bosingwa in possession and Puncheon collected a pass from James Beattie to finish beyond Cech for a lovely strike.