Tottenham win League Cup over Chelsea

By Martyn Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur ended their long spell in the wilderness on Sunday with a 2-1 defeat of Chelsea to win the English League Cup final at Wembley.

Jonathan Woodgate, signed in January to shore up Tottenham's leaky defence, proved the unlikely hero at the other end, heading the winner four minutes into extra time to clinch a first trophy for the north Londoners since the 1999 League Cup.

There was an element of luck about the goal as the ball cannoned into his forehead after goalkeeper Petr Cech made a mess of dealing with a Jermaine Jenas free kick but it was reward for Tottenham who played the more enterprising football.

A strangely subdued Chelsea, winners of both domestic cups last season under former boss Jose Mourinho, were leading until 20 minutes from full time thanks to Didier Drogba's superb 39th-minute free kick. But Tottenham's Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov levelled it up from the penalty spot.

Ledley King, out since the 5-1 semi-final defeat of Arsenal last month, lifted the trophy in front of the club's ecstatic fans who are now guaranteed UEFA Cup football next season.

Tottenham manager Juande Ramos, who had a 100 per cent winning record in cup finals with Sevilla, said winning a trophy so early into his Spurs reign was extra special.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

"This is a beautiful experience," Ramos, who replaced Martin Jol early this season, told reporters. "It's been a unique experience and one I hope I will be repeating again.