Save paved way for killer blow - Cech

16 May 2010 13:37
Petr Cech felt his penalty save from Kevin-Prince Boateng paved the way for Didier Drogba to deliver the knockout punch against Portsmouth.[LNB] Cech saved Boateng's poor spot-kick in the 55th minute as Chelsea went on to clinch the League and FA Cup double for the first time in their history.[LNB]The Blues won the FA Cup for the third time in four years when Didier Drogba slammed home the 58th-minute winner from a free-kick.[LNB]Cech said: "I went the right way and until that penalty moment we had missed about seven chances and six times we had hit the frame of the goal, so we could not have been more unlucky.[LNB]"Then you have the penalty against you and a lot of people think that this is one of those days when you play well, have so many chances, and end up losing the game.[LNB]"This was the moment when they were so close but they missed and minutes later we scored the winner.[LNB]"It could have been a completely different story. It was a great moment for me and for the team because we got a lift and knocked them down a bit.[LNB]"Then, when we scored the goal we knew it was over and we had made the breakthrough. You could see for them it was tough to take, it was like a knockout punch."[LNB]Cech plays table tennis and badminton to help his reflexes and those were put to good use in the first half when he saved superbly to deny Frederic Piquionne.[LNB]"I am very pleased with my performance because all I had to do was make those two saves and I did them at the right time," Cech added.[LNB]"I had some criticism this season but I was always calm in my head. I knew what I was doing. I had some unlucky situations where I was always the one to blame.[LNB]"I was happy the way I played all season and Saturday was a special day. I do everything to improve my game, my reflexes, my co-ordination.[LNB]"I don't only play table tennis, I play badminton as well and it gives you another dimension.[LNB]"Everything that helps you become faster or better, you should take it."[LNB]Cech admits he studies all the penalty kicks taken in the top flight and won the war[LNB]of nerves with Boateng.[LNB]"I've seen the penalty kicks and every goal scored by my opponents," Cech said.[LNB]"I have seen what strikers prefer to do in certain situations and I knew Boateng always watched the goalkeeper until the last moment.[LNB]"So I did not move and while I waited I knew he would have to decide and he decided the wrong way. I did not want to give him a chance because he is a clever player who watches the keeper.[LNB]"It was better to go later than earlier and that is what I did. It is mind games and whoever executes the moment better is the winner."[LNB]Meanwhile, Florent Malouda hailed the double success as the icing on the cake of the best season of his career.[LNB]"Maybe we had time to come back but it would have been really hard for us if they had scored the penalty," Malouda said.[LNB]"Then Didier scored the goal for us and the more you win trophies, the more your ambitions grow. This is the best season of my career. We have made history for the club so I am very proud."[LNB]

Source: Team_Talk