Chelsea 1 Manchester Utd 0: Drogba ends the deadlock in extra moment of class

Nice stadium, shame about the game. Not that Chelsea will be the slightest bit bothered about the quality of a disappointing final after Didier Drogba crowned a superb personal season with his 33rd goal of it, just when it seemed the world's oldest competition would be decided on penalties for the third successive year. For that relief, much thanks.

After a first half not fit to grace Wanstead Flats on a Sunday morning, a Cup final of sorts eventually broke out, with opportunities to either side. There was not an abundance of them, it had to be said, and United forced slightly the better ones without enjoying any more of the game than the team they have just succeeded as champions.

Both teams had limped to the starting line after their exertions in chasing at least three trophies, and it showed. Cristiano Ronaldo failed to live up to the billing by the nation's football writers and his peers as the outstanding footballer of the year; Wayne Rooney plugged away industriously, but overall defenders and the two goalkeepers, plus Drogba, could be proudest of their afternoon's work.

Roman Abramovich, high up in the posh seats, might have noticed that Jose Mourinho's fifth major trophy in three seasons was won without Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack, the two superstars believed to have been foisted on him last summer. Mourinho, with a nod to the future, felt that John Obi Mikel, his 19-year-old midfielder, was the game's outstanding player. That will have peeved Sir Alex Ferguson all the more, given the youngster's acrimonious transfer from Lyn Oslo via United, to whom he did not endear himself any further with some wild tackling in the meaningless League game at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago.

Mikel was playing yesterday only because Michael Essien had to be deployed in defence, Chelsea being short of centre-halves ever since selling Robert Huth and William Gallas on the day of the August transfer deadline and believing that Khalid Boulahrouz would be an adequate replacement. He did not even make the substitutes' bench.

This time, not even the occasional injudicious hack - Joe Cole should have gone into Steve Bennett's notebook early on for two-footed lunge at Wes Brown - could enliven a first half as slow in tempo as it was in terms of incident and scoring chances.

If that suited Chelsea better, Ferguson might be said to have played into their hands with his conservative team selection. He left Alan Smith fretting on the bench until extra-time, opting for a more solid look to the midfield by including Darren Fletcher, forcing Ronaldo to operate down the left, where he often seems less effective.

The forceful Smith's absence and Ronaldo's lack of inspiration contributed to the dullness of the first 45 minutes, in which each midfield sat on the ball for long spells, merely passing it around among themselves and their defenders before Frank Lampard or Michael Carrick lost patience and hit a long English pass forward to an isolated attacker.

It was 17 minutes before Ronaldo performed a first stepover and considerably longer until he managed a significant intervention. There were few of those on either side before the interval and one save by each goalkeeper. Petr Cech's in the 16th minute was routine, holding a side-footed volley by Rooney after Essien's error; on the half-hour, Paulo Ferreira, who contained Ronaldo well, overlapped down the right to feed Lampard for a swivel and angled shot that required Edwin van der Sar to dive smartly to his left.

Mourinho was assumed to be happy enough with the pattern of the game, which suited his side's more measured style, but he was the still the manager who elected to make a change at half-time. Arjen Robben came on to play down the left in place of the unlucky Cole, who had hardly been the worst performer on the pitch but was less than fully fit. There might even have been a demand for greater urgency in both dressing-rooms, for the second half began, thankfully, at much quicker pace.

Rooney brought a good save from Cech and lifted the red half of the crowd with a brave individual run before Ryan Giggs, captain in Gary Neville's absence and another disappointment, volleyed the best chance of the first hour just over the bar as Paul Scholes picked him out.

Scholes' next contribution was less admirable, a typically mistimed tackle on his former England colleague Lampard bringing a booking and a free-kick out on the right that Drogba curled against the outside of a post from a difficult angle. Once more Cech thwarted Rooney, diving at his feet after the forward burst away from Essien.

But Robben was doing what United had hoped for from Ronaldo, twice flitting past his full-back to threaten, and Ferguson came to the touchline to rearrange his forces, switching Ronaldo to the right and Giggs to the left side, with the ineffective Fletcher moving inside.

More than ever it came to look as if a single goal would be sufficient and extra-time arrived without one. Smith, belatedly, and Salomon Kalou added fresh legs as United adopted the formation they ought to have begun with. Just before the first period of extra-time ended, they claimed both a penalty and a goal as Giggs forced the ball over the line, just, from Rooney's cross, though he had clearly fouled Cech in the process.

There could be no dispute about Drogba's goal, when he took Mikel's pass and played a sharp one-two with Lampard before toe-poking the ball past Van der Sar. It was his first against United, who had run out of goals at just the wrong time after running up 123 earlier in the season. The "wounded animal" that Ferguson had feared after taking Chelsea's title had shown sufficient guile and stamina to come back and haunt him.

Man for man marking at Wembley by Geoff Brown

Chelsea

Star performer: Didier Drogba 8

Fast, muscular, an intermitent thorn in United's defence, but received little good service and even less support from midfield, until a deft one-two with Lampard and a delicate finish won the match.,

Petr Cech 7

Tested in the second half when one of Wayne Rooney's driving runs required a brave dive at the striker's feet. Did the same in extra time, bundled into net by Giggs.

Paulo Ferreira 6

Faced with Giggs and Ronaldo, the right-back did well with support from Wright-Phillips, and got forward in the second half when the chance came.

Michael Essien 5

Converted to centre-back since Carvalho's injury but the midfielder did not look entirely comfortable. Positionally suspect, used his speed to get himself out of trouble.

John Terry 6

One of his easiest games in a final significantly lacking in consistent attacking intent. Rooney's pace unsettled him, but positional sense and strength saved him.

Wayne Bridge 6

Preferred to the less than fully fit Ashley Cole, the left-back had an effective match in which caution and dominant defences prevailed.

Shaun Wright-Phillips 7

Looked lively in possession but several promising runs ended disappointingly. Had an early chance but badly scuffed his shot. Gave way to Kalou in extra time.

Claude Makelele 7

Tidiest player in the Chelsea side, mopping up in midfield with perception and quiet determination, and distributing with a neat efficiency.

Frank Lampard 7

Below par performance by his standards which saw him caught in possession more than once. But his deft one-two with Drogba won Chelsea the Cup.

John Obi Mikel 6

Busy and ultra competitive in his midfield battles and seemed to get stronger as the game progressed. But he was rarely able to get forward to help Drogba.

Joe Cole 6

Substituted at half-time for Robben in a tactical switch, but it could have been any one of the Chelsea midfield after such a dull first period.

Substitutes:

Arjen Robben 6

On at half-time for Joe Cole, made a couple of penetrating runs from the left but after a clattering tackle from Wes Brown was less effective. Substituted in extra time.

Salomon Kalou 6

Replaced Wright-Phillips early in extra time and had two strong runs, but both shots from the forward were off target.

Ashley Cole 4

On for Robben in the second period of extra time as Bridge pushed forward into midfield.

Manchester Utd

Star performer: Wayne Rooney 8

A quiet first half, but should have done better when Essien's error set him up. After the break his exciting runs at Chelsea's defence might have brought a goal but for the bravery of Cech.

Edwin Van der Sar 6

Less busy than his Chelsea counterpart, but nearly beaten at near post by a Drogba free-kick. The goalkeeper had little chance with Chelsea's well-taken goal.

Wes Brown 6

In for the injured Gary Neville and clattered early on by Joe Cole. His wing was largely untroubled until Robben came on, but he gradually stifled the winger.

Rio Ferdinand 6

Paired with Vidic to quell the threat of Drogba and performed soundly enough. As for setting up attacks, passed square as often as not.

Nemanja Vidic 7

Kept as tight a leash on Drogba as anyone has done this season until the striker's last effort. Strong in the tackle, and commanding in the air.

Gabriel Heinze 6

Chosen in preference to Evra, the Argentinian repaid his manager's confidence with a solid match, and got forward to support Giggs on the left.

Paul Scholes 6

In a crowded midfield, the rejuvenated creator fell short of his high standards, but was always involved, always prompting, but carried less threat than usual.

Michael Carrick 6

A series of right-footed deliveries to Rooney, who was drifting out to the left, were outstanding, but might have done more to do damage in the final third.

Ryan Giggs 6

The sole survivor from the previous final between the sides was a tireless playmaker who thought he'd scored when bundling Cech into his own net.

Cristiano Ronaldo 5

Flashes of skill but this was a comparatively subdued exhibition by his standards, thanks to Chelsea full-back Ferriera with Wright-Phillips helping out.

Darren Fletcher 4

Preferred to Alan Smith, gave a largely anonymous contribution, hard-working but without the wit and invention expected of the United midfield.

Substitutes:

Alan Smith 5

On for Darren Fletcher in the second minute of extra time.

John O'Shea 5

Replaced Carrick in the second period of extra time.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 5

On for Giggs in the 113th minute, but his penalty skills were not needed.

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent) 7

Kept the game flowing, no doubt about the bookings.

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