Manchester: Chelsea set up a dream FA Cup final against Manchester United at the New Wembley on Sunday but needed an extra-time goal by Michael Ballack to beat a spirited Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in a pulsating Old Trafford semi-final.
Chelsea took a deserved first-half lead through Frank Lampard but Blackburn stormed back after the break to level through Jason Roberts before Germany midfielder Ballack drove in the winner in the 19th minute of extra time.
Chelsea were the last team to win the FA Cup at the old Wembley in 2000 and manager Jose Mourinho heads to the new stadium aiming for his first victory in the competition and still on course for an unprecedented quadruple.
"It's a big, big final, between first and second in Premier League, between two semi-finalists in the Champions League," Mourinho told Sky Sports.
Chelsea, who had already beaten Blackburn three times this season in the League and League Cup, settled quickly and took the lead in the 16th minute when Ballack sent Lampard through to clinically clip an angled effort past Brad Friedel.
Andriy Shevchenko wasted a chance to put the game out of Blackburn's reach at the start of the second half by comically missing his kick when Drogba presented him with an empty net.
Blackburn made him pay when Roberts scored his first goal for the club when he cleverly diverted a low Pedersen free-kick in the 64th minute.
Hughes' should have won the game in normal time but Pedersen headed wide from Bentley's cross and Cech made an impressive save to prevent a John Terry own goal.
"Special Feeling"
Ballack eventually settled it and there was still time for Michael Essien to strike the bar with a superb long range shot.
"It's a very special feeling, I think the game was amazing," Mourinho said. "It was the kind of game where you win you are crazy with happiness but you have a lot of thoughts for your opponents.
"They gave us a game - it was not a surprise to me I was waiting for this - they fought like heroes."
United made it through to their record 18th FA Cup final by beating Blackburn 4-1 on Saturday.
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