LONDON, May 31 Chelsea gave departing coach Guus Hiddink the perfect leaving present when they came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Striker Louis Saha put Everton ahead after just 26 seconds - the fastest goal ever scored in the FA Cup final. The previous fastest of 30 seconds was scored by Bob Chatt of Aston Villa in 1895.

Chelsea, playing under Hiddink for the last time before he returns to coaching Russia's national team, equalised after 20 minutes when Didier Drogba rose virtually unmarked to head past Tim Howard.

Frank Lampard curled in the winner from outside the box in the 72nd minute of a match played in blistering heat.

Chelsea did indeed deserve the victory, which put England defender Ashley Cole in the record books as the first player since the 19th century to win five FA Cup winner's medals. He has won three with Arsenal and two with Chelsea.

Everton made the perfect start when Steven Pienaar's cross from the left was weakly headed out by Jon Obi Mikel straight to Marouane Fellaini, who nodded it back for Saha to crash it past keeper Petr Cech.

The goal also took the Wembley FA Cup final scoring record away from Chelsea's Roberto Di Matteo who had scored the fastest Wembley FA Cup final goal after 41 seconds in 1997.

Chelsea, trailing for the fourth time in an FA Cup match this season, then began to dominate.

The equaliser came when the superb Florent Malouda crossed for Drogba, who also scored in Chelsea's FA Cup final win in 2007, to head home.

With Lampard, Michael Essien, Mikel and Malouda keeping possession almost at will in midfield, Chelsea should have taken the lead just before halftime.

Cole broke in space down the left but smashed his shot wide from only six metres out with only Howard to beat.

Saha had a chance to put Everton ahead again but headed over the bar after 67 minutes and they paid for that miss when Lampard scored at the other end five minutes later.

Lampard switched the ball from his right foot to his left, slipped but still scored with a sweet, curling shot that Howard could only help into the net.

Chelsea went close to a third six minutes later when Florent Malouda's ferocious 30-metre shot hit the bar, bounced downwards and was cleared from the line.

Everton, without a number of injured players including Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta and Aiyegbeni Yakubu, simply ran out options as Chelsea went on to win the trophy for the fifth time.—Reuters

Editorial

Ominous demands
Updated 18 May, 2024

Ominous demands

The federal government needs to boost its revenues to reduce future borrowing and pay back its existing debt.
Property leaks
18 May, 2024

Property leaks

THE leaked Dubai property data reported on by media organisations around the world earlier this week seems to have...
Heat warnings
18 May, 2024

Heat warnings

STARTING next week, the country must brace for brutal heatwaves. The NDMA warns of severe conditions with...
Dangerous law
Updated 17 May, 2024

Dangerous law

It must remember that the same law can be weaponised against it one day, just as Peca was when the PTI took power.
Uncalled for pressure
17 May, 2024

Uncalled for pressure

THE recent press conferences by Senators Faisal Vawda and Talal Chaudhry, where they demanded evidence from judges...
KP tussle
17 May, 2024

KP tussle

THE growing war of words between KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi is affecting...