Three minutes earlier, Frank Lampard had rattled the woodwork, leaving Chelsea fans to rue what at the time seemed to like a storybook ending. What better way to win a trophy than, on the day he’s reported to have signed a one-year extension, to have an icon secure silverware.
But Chelsea fans wouldn’t have to wait long for another well-established Blue to secure another piece of European gory. With the match tied 1-1 and Amsterdam’s Europa League final looked destined for an extra 30 minutes before another, less revered part of the Blues’ core gave the Londoners another European trophy.
In second half stoppage time, Juan Mata swung a corner kick far post, allowing veteran defender Branislav Ivanovic to elevate above André Almeida and Jardel, his contact putting a long, looping header back near post, leaving goalkeeper Artur flat-footed as the Serbian center half secured Chelsea’s 2-1 victory.
The win makes Chelsea the first team to win Champions then Europa League in successive seasons, the West London club having claimed Europe’s ultimate prize in Munich 12 months ago. Combined with the UEFA Super Cup (1998) and the now defunct Cup Winner’s Cup (won in 1970-71, 1997-98), Chelsea have a full array of major European silverware, the Europa League having succeeded the old UEFA Cup.
For Benfica, there will be no consolation for coming so close. The Eagles all but lost the Portuguese Liga this weekend when a last-minute goal by Porto lifted the Dragons into first. More broadly, it’s the seventh straight European final loss for the Lisbon titans, with the club having last won a continental honor in 1962 (European Cup).
A lackluster first half ended scoreless before Fernando Torres, on the end of a Petr Cech ball, beat Luisao to go in Artur, the Spaniard’s finish from the right of the box putting Chelsea up in the 60th minute. Eight minutes later, Benfica equalized, with Paraguayan Oscar Cardozo converting from the spot after a hand ball from Cesar Azpilicueta.
In a match largely controlled by Benfica’s midfield yet often lacking inspiration, it was just that a late tally eventually separated the sides. Benfica had 58 percent of the possession but only three shots on goal. Chelsea, on the other hand – often content to let Benfica play at the edge of their attacking third – managed five shots on Artur.
The last, of course, was the most meaningful, with a team that’s relied on key goals from the likes of John Terry seeing another defender step up. Ivanovic has done it before, his two against Liverpool in the 2009 quarterfinals as well as his winner against Napoli in 2012 standing out, but with the timing of tonight’s tally, Ivanovic is unlikely to have scored a more important goal. With his looping header in stoppage time on Wednesday, the 29-year-old helped Chelsea secure this year’s Europa League.