Famous Five: Chelsea's FA Cup wins

rss logoWednesday 2nd May 2012 16:28

Chelsea: Celebrate their 2009 final win

Chelsea: Celebrate their 2009 final win

Bet with SkyBet  £10 completely free bet

Ahead of Chelsea's fourth FA Cup final at the new Wembley, TEAMtalk uses YouTube to recall five other final victories they have enjoyed.

1970 v Leeds United: Blues win the war.

On a dire pitch at Wembley, Chelsea twice pegged back Leeds United, who thought they had won their first FA Cup when Mick Jones put the Yorkshiremen in front with just six minutes to go. Ian Hutchinson's leveller just two minutes later, though, took the game to extra-time, with neither side able to find a winner.

Because Wembley's surface was in such poor condition, the FA took the replay to Old Trafford. Leeds again held a late lead before Peter Osgood's goal took the final into another period of extra-time, during which David Webb headed in the winner following Hutchinson's Delap-esque long throw.

The replay is remembered for some lenient refereeing, with both sides taking advantage to kick lumps out of each other. Only one player - Chelsea's Hutchinson - was booked on the night. David Elleray, however, reviewed the game 26 years later and concluded that six red cards and 20 yellows would have been dished out under modern-day conditions. As an example, this attempt to decapitate Billy Bremner in the Chelsea box was deemed a fair challenge.

2007 v Manchester United: Jose's full house.

After winning the last final at the old Wembley, Chelsea tasted glory in the first showpiece to be played at the rebuilt national stadium when Jose Mourinho's men denied Manchester United a league and cup Double.

The game, featuring the Premier League winners and runners-up, was a goalless bore draw, creeping towards a penalty shoot-out before Frank Lampard's beautifully-weighted volley played in Didier Drogba, who poked past Edwin van der Sar to earn Chelsea a domestic cup Double.

Mourinho had now won every domestic trophy in England and, of course, the Portuguese enjoyed it.

2010 v Portsmouth: The first Double.

Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea were seeking their first Double, with relegated and financially-stricken Portsmouth standing in their way.

Only David James and some woeful finishing stopped the Blues from being out of sight by half-time, but Pompey wasted their chance to pull off a shock when Kevin-Prince Boateng's weak penalty was easily saved by Petr Cech.

Chelsea punished Pompey soon after by taking the lead courtesy of a stunning Drogba free-kick - the Ivorian's second cup final winner.

The Blues even missed a penalty of their own when Frank Lampard missed the target late on, but Avram Grant's hopes of beating his old side had long since disappeared.

1997 v Middlesbrough: Blues in Ruud health.

Bouyant after their highest league finish in a decade, Chelsea faced a Middlesbrough side whose spirits were low after relegation, with not even Vic and Bob's reworking of a Chris Rea classic able to lift their gloom.

The Blues got off to a great start when Roberto Di Matteo smashed in a shot from 25 yards which broke the record for the fastest goal in a final.

Eddie Newton killed off Boro's hopes by scoring the Blues' second with seven minutes remaining.

2009 v Everton: Hiddink's parting gift

Yet another season of managerial turmoil had left Guus Hiddink in charge of Chelsea as they faced Everton, who had beaten Manchester United in the semi-finals.

Louis Saha broke Di Matteo's record for the fastest cup final goal when he swivelled and shot the Toffees into the lead after 25 seconds, but Chelsea responded 20 minutes later through another Drogba cup final goal.

Lampard's great strike with 19 minutes remaining earned the Blues their fifth FA Cup, with a sixth following 12 months later.

Watch finals highlights here (link opens in new window).

Comments

Loading

    Add Comment: