Chelsea Downs Portsmouth 1-0, Completes FA Cup-English Premier League Double

A brilliant second half direct kick from Didier Drogba banged off David James’ left post and in for the FA Cup final’s only score, allowing Chelsea to retain the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Portsmouth.

With the win, Chelsea completes a league-FA Cup double, the first in their club’s history. The Blues are the first team since 2002 to win the league and FA Cup in the same season.

To do so, Chelsea had to overcome a series of missed first half chances that gave the impression fate was on Pompey’s side. The 2008 FA Cup winners, Portsmouth saw the league champions hit James’ woodwork five times in the first half, with none of Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou, John Terry, or Drogba (twice) able to bang their chances home.

Portsmouth had their own change to go up in the first, seeing Chelsea keeper Petr Cech left-handed reflex save with keep out a Frederic Piquionne shot from close range.

In the second half, Portsmouth started with the better of play and created a penalty when Aruna Dindane was brought down by Juliano Belletti, who had come on to replace an injured Michael Ballack. Cech, however, came up with another huge save, using his legs to block a Kevin-Prince Boateng kick targeting the center of goal.

Minutes later, Drogba was given his chance from 22-meters out.

In the first half, the Ivorian had nearly scored from 28 meters, with David James putting Drogba’s knuckling shot onto the cross bar, the ball bouncing down on the line before being taken out of danger.

This time, Drogba gave James no chance.

From a spot even with James’ right post, Drogba’s right footed shot eluded the wall and dipped to the base of James’s left post, hitting the woodwork squarely before deflecting in, giving the England international no opportunity to save the shot. It was Drogba’s 37th all competition goal of the season.

Chelsea had a chance to go up two in the waning moments, with Frank Lampard earning a penalty kick. Lampard would pull the spot kick wide of James’ right post, but it ultimately would not matter.

This was Chelsea’s sixth FA Cup and their third in the last four years.