Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., May 01, 2008 Nisan 26, 5768 | | Israel Time: 12:07 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Chelsea's manager Avram Grant celebrates at the final whistle as his team beat Liverpool in London Wednesday. (AP) Last update - 02:48 01/05/2008 Avram Grant takes Chelsea to Champions' League final By The Associated Press Tags: Roman Abramovich, Avram Grant  Frank Lampard scored a penalty in extra time Wednesday and Didier Drogba later added his second goal of the night to send Chelsea to its first Champions League final with a 3-2 win over Liverpool in the second leg of the semifinals. Lampard, playing for the first time since his mother died of pneumonia on Thursday, beat Pepe Reina with his penalty in the 98th minute after Sami H Advertisement yypia had brought down Michael Ballack in the area. The Chelsea midfielder ran to a corner flag after he scored and kneeled. He then took off his black armband, looked to the sky and kissed it. After embraces from his teammates, Lampard ran back to the center circle and pointed to his father in the crowd. Frank Lampard Sr. was also a professional soccer player. Drogba, who had given Chelsea the lead in the 33rd, added another goal in the 105th to make sure Chelsea would face English champion Manchester United in the Champions League final on May 21 in Moscow with a 4-3 win on aggregate. Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel scored for five-time champion Liverpool, which lost to AC Milan in the Champions League final last year. British and Israeli media have often critical of Chelsea coach Avram Grant's image, often regurgitating old stories about his problematic working relationships with some of his star players. Many also allege that he got the Chelsea job thanks to his mysterious ties to, and friendship with, Chelsea FC owner - Russian-born Jewish billionaire Roman Abramovich. It's the first all-English final in the Champions League, and it will feature the two teams fighting for the Premier League title. Both teams have 81 points, but United leads on goal difference with two games remaining. Lampard's deciding penalty came only three minutes after Chelsea thought that Michael Essien had scored. But the goal was called back for offside - after the stadium scoreboard had given the goal to Chelsea and UEFA had changed the score on its Web site. Chelsea, which hasn't lost in 12 straight home games in the Champions League, was playing in the tournament's semifinals for the fourth time in five years. The Blues had twice lost to Liverpool and once to Monaco. Chelsea is also undefeated in 82 games at Stamford Bridge. No London club has ever won the Champions League. United, which beat FC Barcelona 1-0 Tuesday to advance to the final, has won the European Cup twice, in 1968 and 1999. Chelsea's only European success was in the Cup Winners' Cup, which it won in 1971 and 1998. Drogba scored the game's first goal by tapping in a rebound after Salomon Kalou's initial shot was pushed away by Reina. Torres equalized in the 64th, knocking in a pass from Yossi Benayoun and sparking loud cheers from the traveling Liverpool fans. After Lampard's penalty, Drogba added another by scoring off a cross from Nicolas Anelka, who had replaced midfielder Joe Cole at the beginning of extra time. Babel scored the final goal in the 117th. In last week's first leg, Chelsea earned a 1-1 draw at Anfield off an injury-time own-goal from Liverpool defender John Arne Riise, who started Wednesday. Related articles: Avram Grant: the man the Israeli media loves to hate Grant praises Chelsea for emotional win over Man Utd The newest hatred: Anti-Grantism Bookmark to del.icio.us   Clear, present danger Survey : 52% of youth believe Israel faces existential threat. Feeling guilty Europe's criticism of Israel is more than just anti-Semitism.   1.   As a Chelsea supporter 02:12  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/05/08   2.   Very, very unfortunately night... 04:16  |  Soccer Fan 01/05/08   3.   Champs League 08:12  |  DOV KORET 01/05/08   4.   It went the way it should go for Israeli fans 09:15  |  David Teich 01/05/08   5.   Chelsea fans phoning BBC 5, saying that even if cleaner was coach 12:00  |  Mike 01/05/08

Read & React Sirens wail nationwide as Israelis honor Holocaust victims Responses: 51 Israel Harel: Jewish guilt over Gaza deaths weakens us in fight for Israel's existence Responses: 12 Haaretz Editorial: Israel must give Gaza truce bid a chance Send response Yehudit Winkler: Holocaust survivors scratch false collective image of 'new Israel' Send response Rosner's Domain Talking about war with Iran is not necessarily bad Is Israel finished? five questions Rosner's Guest: symbolic return of Palestinian refugees is needed Officially withdraw the NIE on Iran (WTR) Poll: truce with Hamas, good or bad? More Headlines 11:13 Sirens wail nationwide as Israelis honor Holocaust victims 12:00 IAF missile strike in Gaza kills Hamas commander involved in Shalit abduction 12:04 Jihad: We won't sign formal truce, but won't be 1st to violate it 12:03 Son gets Dad's Auschwitz tattoo on own arm 11:40 What did concentration camp inmates dream about in the Holocaust? 10:40 Mofaz, at Yale: Iran could have nuke bomb technology this year 12:06 Truce Deal / Hamas claims victory 02:48 Avram Grant takes Chelsea to Champions' League final 10:22 How a non-Jew living in Israel came to understand the Holocaust 11:29 With help of Haredim, Yad Vashem IDs another 120,000 Shoah victims 02:23 Rarely seen segment of the Dead Sea Scrolls to be displayed for Israel's 60th anniversary 06:03 Former Shin Bet official: Assault on Barak `a serious failure` 09:24 U.S. officials: Bush will wait to present final-status guidelines Previous Editions Select Day 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr 25 apr 24 apr 23 apr 22 apr 21 apr 20 apr 18 apr 17 apr

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