BARCELONA, October 31 (Champions League) - Didier Drogba rescued
a dramatic point for Chelsea with an equaliser in the third minute
of stoppage time.
The Ivory Coast international striker pounced for his 10th of the
season just when Jose Mourinho's team seemed to have been sunk by
old boy Eidur Gudjohnsen.
Mourinho had poked fun at Gudjohnsen on the eve of the game - but
the Icelander answered with a goal in the 58th minute.
It looked like being the winner until Drogba slid the ball under
Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes in the final moments.
Deco had fired the European Cup holders into an early lead but
Frank Lampard equalised with a fantastic chip from the tightest of
angles.
Mourinho's team are now virtually assured of a place in the last 16
of the competition.
It was a stormy game with 10 yellow cards - six for Chelsea - while
Barcelona thought Ashley Cole should have been sent off.
Italian referee Stefano Farina appeared to show the England
left-back two yellow cards in the first half - but it later emerged
the first had been for Lampard.
Chelsea fell behind in the third minute when Deco dashed down the
left, twisted inside onto his right foot and netted.
Mourinho had called for Farina to be strong - but he was not. He
was poor.
The crowd were quick to react when Drogba made a meal of a little
nudge in the back, early in the game.
Then Drogba was in the thick of it again when he bumped into Motta
as the Brazilian midfielder climbed to his feet.
Motta threw himself to the floor and Rafael Marquez grabbed the
Chelsea striker.
This time Drogba crashed to the turf and players rushed to the
scene to jostle each other.
Referee Farina failed to take control at this point and the tension
crackled away.
Ronaldinho tried to get Michael Essien sent off, claiming he had
used an elbow on Gudjohnsen when he had actually caught him in the
face with his wrist.
Farina was reaching into his pocket for his yellow card, a few
minutes later, to book two Chelsea players for dissent.
He flashed the first yellow in the direction of Cole after giving a
foul against Drogba. Lampard was standing near Cole at the time and
it later emerged that he had been the one cautioned.
The booking for Lampard was his third of the competition and he
will be suspended from Chelsea's next game, away to Werder
Bremen.
The seriousness of the confusion became clear, 10 minutes later,
when Cole mistimed a tackle on Motta and was booked.
He showed the defender a yellow card but did not produce a red -
and memories of Graham Poll in the World Cup were rekindled.
Barcelona players crowded the referee to convince him that the
full-back was already in the book.
Farina went to the touchline to talk to Mourinho. He came back and
booked Messi, presumably for something said - but still did not
show Cole a red card.
Drogba needed lengthy treatment at the start of the second half
after taking a blow to the face in an aerial clash with Carles
Puyol.
Valdes made another excellent save to keep out a good header from
Robben, destined for the bottom corner, then made further good
stops to deny Robben and Essien.
Robben fired a glorious chance over when he should have scored but
Lampard levelled in the 52nd minute with a delightful piece of
skill.
The England midfielder initially miscontrolled a pass from Makelele
and was driven wide of goal.
It looked an impossible angle, tight to the touchline, but Lampard
somehow curled a chip over Valdes and inside the back post.
Chelsea were well on top and looking for the win when Rijkaard made
a change, bringing on Edmilson for Motta.
Barca were soon back in front with Ronaldinho dancing past
Boulahrouz before finding for Gudjohnsen, who had the simplest of
tasks to slide the ball into an open goal.
Lampard wanted a penalty for a pull on his shirt by Xavi in the
65th minute but his appeals were ignored.
Gudjohnsen's night ended early when he was stretchered off with 13
minutes left after falling awkwardly following a challenge by
Ricardo Carvalho.
And after Ballack had squandered a glorious chance to pull Chelsea
level, on-song Drogba found the target, with captain John Terry
assisting.
