Devastated Bayern left to rue missed chances

A tense and dramatic Champions League final in Munich, featuring a late opening goal, a last-gasp equaliser and a missed penalty in extra-time, ended in a nightmare for Bayern on their home ground, as Didier Drogba netted the decisive spot-kick in the shootout to seal the prestigious trophy for Premier League outfit Chelsea.

The 62,500 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena in Munich saw the defensive Blues outplayed in every area of the field in a one-sided first half, but for all Bayern’s dominance, there was no score at half-time as Petr Cech pushed Arjen Robben’s shot onto the post and Mario Gomez missed a couple of highly presentable chances.

In the second period, Jupp Heynckes’ men were totally in control against their astoundingly passive opponents, but the opening goal proved elusive as the shots rained in on Cech’s goal only for none to find a way through. The breakthrough finally came after 83 minutes with Thomas Müller’s header, but Drogba was on hand to head an unlikely equaliser from Chelsea’s first corner of the game just two minutes from the end of normal time.

Drogba turned from hero to villain in the third minute of extra-time with a foul on Franck Ribery in the box, but Robben side-footed the resulting penalty straight at Cech. FCB had one or two chances before the shootout, in which Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger missed for Munich but Drogba netted the winner for the Blues.