Chelsea travel to Goodison Park this weekend and they will struggle to score two better goals than the ones Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba banged in to complete a late turnaround in December 2006.
Jose Mourinho’s Blues won 3-2 that as Lampard and Drogba struck in the final 10 minutes after Mikel Arteta’s penalty had been cancelled out by Tim Howard’s unfortunate own goal and Joseph Yobo had restored the hosts’ advantage.
John Terry had missed the clash after suffering the recurrence of a back problem and you might have expected his side to miss his leadership qualities on the field at Goodison. Not so. Not with the likes of Drogba and Lampard showing the way.
Lampard’s goal was brilliant to level the match. Salomon Kalou fed the England man from the left channel. Composed, Lampard, dropped a shoulder and unleashed a dipping volley which swept across Howard and into the far corner.
Surely that couldn’t be topped? Wrong. The Ivory Coast striker, who made a shock return to the Blues this summer, showed all the power and poise that have made him a legend at Stamford Bridge.
A hopeful boot downfield was flicked on by Andriy Shevchencko. There appeared to be nothing on from Droba when he controlled the ball superbly 35 yards from goal. What followed was pure inspiration.
Drogba spun and thrashed the ball goalwards on the half volley. Howard seemed to be in a good position in the centre of the goal but such was the ferocity of Drogba’s thunderbolt, he was given no chance.
Mourinho jumped up from the dugout and embarked on a trademark run down the touchline in celebration. How the Special One would love another sprint down the side of the Goodison Park pitch again on Saturday if Drogba repeats his heroics.
Keep in touch with all the build-up and post-match reaction to Everton v Chelsea right here on GetWestLondon.
