Chelsea do it again

Chelsea do it again

Published: 20/05/2012 at 04:46 AM


MUNICH : Chelsea put four penalties past Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to seal victory and win an improbable Champions League title Sunday morning (Thailand time).

The penalty shoot-out began after the teams had played to a 1-1 draw in regulation time, and then played another half an hour without a goal.

Didier Drogba, who had equalised for Chelsea two minutes from time, struck the winning kick past Manuel Neuer as the visitors edged the shootout 4-3 after Bastian Schweinsteiger's last kick for Bayern had hit the post. Neuer made one save and also scored one penalty goal.

Bayern, playing in their home stadium, laid siege to Chelsea's goal for most of the game and appeared to have won it when Thomas Mueller finally made the breakthrough with an 83rd minute header past Petr Cech.

Within touching distance of lifting the famous trophy for the first time since 2001, Bayern conceded with two minutes remaining when Drogba met a corner with a thumping header to give Neuer no chance.

Bayern, four-times winners, were stunned and extra time could not separate the sides despite Bayern earning a penalty which Arjen Robben saw saved by Cech.

Chelsea lost to Manchester United in the 2008 final on penalties but erased that painful memory as they held their nerve to become London's first European champions.

EARLIER REPORTS:

Thomas Mueller headed home a short cross from Diego Contento in the 82nd minute in a game dominated by the German side. Many believed that sealed Chelsea's fate.

Exactly three minutes later, a leaping Didier Drogba headed home a sensational tying goal on a corner from Juan Mata, sending the blue-shirted fans into a tizzy - and the match itself into extra time.

After an extra 30 minutes without a goal, the two teams began a penalty shoot-out.

Bayern Munich and Chelsea were scoreless after the first half of the Champions League final.

Bayern had 60 per cent of possession in the half and 13 attempts on goal.

Munich, the Bavarian capital, buzzed with anticipation as the biggest game in club football got under way early Sunday Thailand time.

The eagerly awaited final - which is taking place at Bayern's home ground, the Allianz Arena - was a 70,000 sell-out.

A further 65,000 fans bought tickets to watch the match on giant screens set up at Bayern's former home, the Munich Olympic Stadium.

An estimated 25,000 Chelsea fans have travelled to Munich for the game, where demand for tickets has far exceeded supply.

Events in Munich were being followed closely at the G8 summit held at the US Presidential retreat of Camp David, where British and German leaders David Cameron and Angela Merkel were to watch the game together on Saturday afternoon local time. The match was on prime TV stations in the US and pre-empted a baseball game on the Murdoch-owned Fox TV.

Bayern were aiming to salvage a disappointing season by claiming their fifth European Champions League crown, which would place the Bundesliga side alongside Liverpool as the third most successful team in the competition's history.

Chelsea meanwhile were seeking to win the famous jug-eared trophy for the first time, desperate to atone for their agonising loss against Manchester United in the 2008 final in Moscow.

Because they finished sixth in the Premier League, Chelsea had to win the match in order even to compete in next season's Champions League - a relegation that would cost the club an estimated 65 million pounds in revenue.

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