Sport
Didier Drogba wins the Champions League title for Chelsea
Didier Drobga celebrates after scoring against Bayern Munich. PHOTO/AP
From hero to villain, to man of the match.
Didier Drogba went through the full range of emotions on a night when he delivered the first Champions League title to Chelsea, in perhaps his last match for the London club.
Drogba’s dramatic, perfect header in the 88th minute against Bayern Munich leveled the final at 1-1 and sent it into extra time. It was his 34th Champions League goal and perhaps the most memorable.
He then gave away a needless extra-time penalty that was saved by Petr Cech from Arjen Robben, before driving home the final spot-kick in the shootout that clinched the title.
Drogba ran to the side and threw himself onto the ground, to be buried for minutes under a frenzied pile of his blue-shirted teammates.
He then took off his shirt and ran to the opposite side of Bayern’s Allianz Arena, prancing in front of the jubilant supporters. And then, he held Cech in a long embrace, thanking the Chelsea goalkeeper for saving his, and Chelsea’s, night with his save of Robben’s penalty.
“When we have this guy in goal you have to believe,” said Drogba. “I wanted to score the penalty for him, he is the best goalkeeper in the world and his saves today and before got us here.”
