2009 FA Cup Final: Frank Lampard Fires Chelsea to 2-1 Win Over Everton

In front of a worldwide audience of over 500 million from over 180 countries, Chelsea emerged victorious 2-1 over Everton, winning the FA Cup for the second time in three years.

For the big showdown at England's greatest sporting arena, Wembley Stadium, there was one notable absentee from the Chelsea line-up.

Germany international Michael Ballack did not make the starting XI, with Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel instead taking the holding midfield role.

For Everton, already depleted due to injuries to star players Mikel Arteta and Phil Jagielka, there was just one change from the side that won 2-0 away at Fulham.

Marouanne Fellaini returned to the starting line-up, and was accompanied up-front by Louis Saha, who many thought would come on later in the match as an "impact substitute."

And speaking of impact, after only 25 seconds gone, it was the French striker who gave Everton a very surprising early lead.

Following an attack straight after kick-off, Fellaini broke the ball down to Saha just inside the box, with the Frenchman smashing a beautiful left-foot volley past two Chelsea players and a helpless Petr Cech in the Blues' goal.

It was the fastest ever goal in FA Cup Final history, beating the previous record set by Bob Chatt in 1895, who scored after just 30 seconds in Aston's Villa 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

After the shock early lead taken by Everton, the tempo of the game started to slow as temperatures inside Wembley soared to around 41.8C, with neither side having many clear-cut chances.

However, it was Chelsea who carved out the higher amount of chances, and on 21 minutes, cup final specialist Didier Drogba was at it again; the Ivory Coast striker scoring the equaliser after his cup-winning goal in the 2007 FA Cup Final against Manchester United.

French winger Florent Malouda played in a perfect cross from the left for Drogba to power past a lacklustre Joleon Lescott and Joseph Yobo, and head home past a helpless Tim Howard in the Everton goal to make it 1-1 at Wembley.

For the remainder of the first-half both sides had chances, most notably when Ashley Cole went in search of a fifth FA Cup winner's medal on 44 minutes, after cutting in from the left and angling the ball over from just inside the six-yard box.

The second-half saw the introduction of Denmark international full-back Lars Jacobsen, replacing the injured Tony Hibbert.

The substitution had the added significance in that the Dane on-loan from Bundesliga side 1.FC Nuremberg was making his FA Cup debut, in the final at Wembley.

After the restart, both sides continued in the same fashion as in the first-half, with chances coming and going for Chelsea and Everton.

Australian playmaker Tim Cahill stung the gloves of Petr Cech for Everton, after his powerful 25-yard effort was straight at the Chelsea goalkeeper on 62 minutes.

Chelsea also created decent chances, and converted their dominance into valuable goals on 72 minutes, when Frank Lampard put the Blues 2-1 ahead.

The 69 cap-winning England midfielder turned well on the edge of the box and onto his left foot, before firing a precise drive from 25-yards which Everton 'keeper Tim Howard managed to get his hands to, but was simply unable to stop.

Six minutes later and Chelsea almost made it 3-1. Malouda, who has significantly improved as the season has progressed, smacked a powerful effort from 30 yards that crashed against the crossbar.

And if Everton had found a way back into the game, Chelsea could've felt slightly aggrieved, as replays show that Malouda's shot had in fact crossed the line, but of course the assistant referee could not have possibly been up with play on the shot.

After four minutes stoppage time, it was the team from London that managed to hold on to their lead, and won their first piece of silverware since their 2007 win in the first-ever FA Cup Final at the new Wembley Stadium.

Everton team: Howard; Hibbert (46 Jacobsen), Yobo, Lescott, Baines; Osman (83 Gosling), Neville, Cahill, Pienaar; Fellaini, Saha (77 Vaughan).

Subs unused: Nash, Castillo, Rodwell, Baxter.

Chelsea team: Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Essien (61 Ballack), Mikel, Lampard; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

Subs unused: Hilario, Ivanovic, Di Santo, Kalou, Belletti, Mancienne.

Attendance: 89,391

Man of the Match: Ashley Cole (Chelsea)

Referee: Howard Webb