Chelsea Overcomes Liverpool In Extra Time To Reach Champions League Finals

April 30, 2008 7:52 p.m. EST

London, United Kingdom (AHN) - Didier Drogba finished off what he started, Frank Lampard dedicated one to his deceased mother, and Chelsea upended Liverpool 3-2 in extra time on Wednesday to reach the Champions League finals.

Drogba delivered two goals, in the 33rd and the 105th minutes, putting the Blues into an all-English finale against Manchester United. Lampard, whose mother succumbed to pneumonia last week, put one against Pepe Reina via a penalty shot in the 98th.

Liverpool, last year's losing finalist to AC Milan, sent the game to extra period when Fernando Torres converted in the 64th minute before holding Chelsea scoreless the rest of the way. Ryan Babel pushed the Reds within one goal but it wasn't enough to counter their foes' strength down the stretch.

"What a character Lamps is to come in on Sunday and train and try and block out what has been a terrible week for him and his family and everyone close to Frank," Chelsea captain John Terry, referring to Lampard, told the Associated Press. "I'm sure Frank will dedicate the goal to his mum tonight."

"I thought we were very close. We played well in the second half, but the third goal killed it," Reds manager Rafa Benitez said. "We had control of the game. We had two chances in extra time and we were in control and we were preventing them from creating."

Both teams played to a 1-1 tie in the event's first leg last week and the Blues took the match by an aggregate score of 4-3. Their opponent, Manchester United, beat Barcelona 1-0 in aggregate score. The two clubs will meet May 21 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Chelsea extended its home winning streak to 12 games and entered the Champions League's last four for the fourth time in the last five years.