Chelsea's Drogba answers criticism with inspired display

By Martyn Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - Didier Drogba produced a masterful display of the centre forward arts on Wednesday to shoot Chelsea into their first Champions League final and answer the criticism of Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.

The Spaniard described Drogba as a serial diver in the build-up to the second leg of their semi-final at Stamford Bridge, an accusation that has dogged the muscular Ivory Coast captain since he arrived in London from Olympique Marseilles.

"He (Drogba) is very, very strong but he falls down. He slips a lot," Benitez had told reporters on Tuesday. "Everybody can see this every game, it is very clear..."

Liverpool's manager must have wished he had kept his thoughts to himself as the 30-year-old striker turned in a performance of power and strength to end the Spaniard's hopes of a third Champions League final in his Anfield reign.

"...Benitez is a fantastic coach one of the best in the world and I was a little disappointed but perhaps he thought his team wasn't strong enough," Drogba said of Benitez's remarks after Chelsea's 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

"It (the publicity over Benitez's comments) does nothing for my image and I am doing everything to promote English football, and it is not good and not fair but it is finished now."

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Drogba has scored 18 goals in the Champions League during his Chelsea career, six of them this season. When he stays on his feet, as he mostly managed to on Wednesday, there are few better strikers in world football.