Thursday, May 7, 2009

Barcelona draws 1-1 with Chelsea to reach final

LONDON (AP) - Andres Iniesta's injury-time equalizer put 10-man Barcelona into the Champions League final Wednesday after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

Chelsea led through Michael Essien's ninth-minute 20-meter volley and had a handful of penalty appeals turned down at Stamford Bridge against a Barcelona team which had defender Eric Abidal sent off in the 66th minute.

But Iniesta's goal, after a 0-0 draw in Spain last week, means that Barcelona goes through on away goals and will meet defending champion Manchester United in Rome on May 27.

In a stormy end to the second semifinal, Chelsea players surrounded Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, convinced he should have awarded them at last two penalties - one on a foul he gave outside the area instead of inside and another for a handball by Samuel Eto'o when he blocked a shot with his arm.

Chelsea appeared on the way to a second Champions League final in a row against United after last season's loss in a penalty shootout in Moscow.

But then came Barcelona's late equalizer.

The game was deep into injury time when Iniesta collected a ball from Lionel Messi and drove the equalizer past Petr Cech to start celebrations on the Barcelona bench.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola raced down the touchline towards the club's fans to celebrate and it was several minutes before the game resumed.-AP

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