Played
May 5, 2012 5:15 PM WAT
Wembley Stadium — London
Referee: P. Dowd
Attendance: 89102
May 5, 2012 5:15 PM WAT
Wembley Stadium — London
Referee: P. Dowd
Attendance: 89102
FA Cup Player Ratings: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
Roberto Di Matteo's side held off a dramatic attempted comeback from the Reds to taste glory in this competition for the fourth time in six seasons
By Wayne Veysey at Wembley
José Reina Paez
0
0
Beaten far too easily at his near post for Chelsea's opener, which capped an ordinary season for the Liverpool No1. Could do little to keep out the second.
Daniel Agger
0
0
Made a great last-ditch tackle to stem a first-half Kalou run and looked easily the most accomplished of Liverpool's defenders.
Glen Johnson
0
0
Generally kept Kalou in check but was not as effective in the final third as he can be on his best days.
José Enrique
0
0
It is saying something but perhaps the biggest culprit in Liverpool's appalling first-half no-show. Woeful in his attempt to stop Ramires racing away for the opener and his distribution was woeful for much of the game..
Martin Skrtel
0
0
Made soime important challenges, particularly in the opening period, but was too slow to close Drogba down for Chelsea's second.
Jordan Henderson
0
1
So pitiful in central midfield he was shunted out to the right flank after 35 minutes, where he was barely any more effective. Has started all three of Liverpool's Wembley showpieces and been equally useless in each one.
Jay Spearing
0
1
All at sea for 54 minutes before being withdrawn. Could not stem the threat of Mata and looked nervy in possession. His positioning was poor for both of Chelsea's goals.
Stewart Downing
0
0
His touch and decision-making was dreadfully disappointing until Carroll came on to give him a proper penalty-box target to aim for. Won the tackle to help create Liverpool's first goal.
Steven Gerrard
0
2
Comfortably the best of Liverpool's midfielders, although that is not saying much. Had to drop deeper than his team would have liked but was integral to Liverpool's comeback with his drive and precise passing.
Craig Bellamy
0
1
Caused the odd moment of panic in the Chelsea defence but was unable to offer a sustained threat. Subbed after 78 minutes.
Luis Suárez
0
0
Isolated for an hour but came to life when he was joined up front by Carroll and caused panic with his trickery late on.
• Substitutions
Andy Carroll
0
0
Liverpool were flat as a pancake before he turned the cup final on its head with his presence and power. Engineered and dispatch his goal brilliantly and replays suggested he was on the wrong end of the latest goal-line technology controversy.
Dirk Kuyt
0
0
Lively cameo after replacing Bellamy.
Petr Cech
0
1
Made the game's crucial save at 2-1 when he clawed away Carroll's header, even if the replays from above suggested fortune may have favoured him
Ashley Cole
1
0
Solid as a rock defensively, although he did not charge forward that often. His seventh FA Cup winners' medal is well deserved.
Branislav Ivanovic
0
0
Cruised through the match until Carroll exposed his lack of penalty box presence and got constantly out-jumped and out-powered late on.
John Terry
0
1
In complete command until Carroll came off the bench and proved that the Chelsea captain is not as dominant as he once was.
José Bosingwa
0
0
Unflustered and commanding for an hour but suffered in the last third of the match as Liverpool targeted his defensive weaknesses.
Frank Lampard
0
0
Maintained his fine run of form with an accomplished performance, although he looked leggy in the last 20 minutes. Set up Drogba's goal with an astute pass.
John Obi Mikel
0
0
The slow pace of the game suited the Nigerian, who never got out of second gear and never needed to.
Ramires
0
0
Enhanced his reputation as a big-game player by running on to Juan Mata's early pass and fending off Jose Enrique to put Chelsea 1-0 up from a tight angle.
Didier Drogba
0
0
The Wembley master led the line brilliantly and arrowed his eighth goal in eight Wembley matches across Reina with power, precision and complete certainty.
Juan Mata
0
1
The Spaniard's sharp mind and twinkling feet lit up a cloudy north London day. His elusiveness got him into some dangerous positions and made the most of them, notably creating the early opener for Ramires. Faded late on and subbed.
Salomon Kalou
0
0
Looked dangerous when he charged towards the goal but, as ever, his final ball often let him down. Should have scored in added time.
• Substitutions
Florent Malouda
0
2
Came on too late to make any difference.
Raúl Meireles
1
0
Brought on to shore up the midfield but the game passed him by.
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