Didier Drogba became the first man to score in four FA Cup finals as Chelsea overcame Liverpool at Wembley thanks to another massive goal-line controversy.
The Blues appeared to be cruising when Drogba scored at the start of the second half following Ramires’ early opener, but the arrival of Andy Carroll turned the game on its head.
The burly Liverpool striker smashed home a superb goal not long after his arrival, then, with nine minutes left, rose to meet Luis Suarez’s cross at the far post. Carroll was convinced he had scored, with Suarez equally certain the ball had crossed the line before Petr Cech clawed it back onto the crossbar.
Linesman Andrew Garratt was not so sure – and those who had the additional advantage of television replays were mostly of the same opinion.
Garratt could not signal the goal, so referee Phil Dowd did not give it.
And once another goalbound Carroll effort had been blocked in stoppage time, the Blues were able to complete their fourth FA Cup triumph in six seasons, and give Roberto Di Matteo his first piece of silverware as a manager in what could turn out to be a glorious double against Bayern Munich later this month.
There was no hint of the drama to follow when Ramires became the first Brazilian to score in this most prestigious of showpiece occasions.
When he first arrived on these shores two years ago, Ramires looked too slight to make an impact in England. Clearly though, he has guts, heart, drive and selfless determination.
If Roy Keane’s endeavours for Manchester United in their Champions League semi-final triumph over Juventus in 1999 have gone down in history, then Ramires’ performance in the Nou Camp days ago deserves to go alongside it.
The yellow card he picked up means this will be the only cup final Ramires features in this season. And what a mark he made as Juan Mata slipped a pass beyond Jose Enrique.
The Liverpool full-back failed to recover his ground, allowing Ramires to bear down on the Reds goal.
Jose Reina elected to gamble rather than save the actual shot when it was unleashed. Reina chose incorrectly, diving to his right, allowing the ball to beat him rather embarrassingly at the near post.
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