time equalizer put 10-man Barcelona into the Champions League final Wednesday after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Chelsea led through Michael Essien's ninth-minute 20-meter drive and had a handful of penalty appeals turned down at Stamford Bridge against a Barcelona team which had defender Eric Abidal sent off in the 66th minute. But Iniesta's goal, after a 0-0 draw in Spain last week, means that Barcelona goes through on away goals and will meet defending champion Manchester United in Rome on May 27. “We fought. (Coach) Pep (Guardiola) rallied us well at halftime and we never gave up to the final whistle,” said Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o. “This is from a season's worth a work.” In a stormy end to the second semifinal, Chelsea players surrounded Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, convinced he should have awarded them at least two penalties – one on a foul he gave outside the area instead of inside and another for a handball by Samuel Eto'o when he blocked a shot with his arm. Didier Drogba, who had also gone down twice inside the area, marched up to the official to complain and had to be pulled away by coach Guus Hiddink. Chelsea played top-quality football and appeared on the way to a second Champions League final in a row against United after last season's loss in a penalty shootout in Moscow. But then came Barcelona's late equalizer. The game was deep into injury time when Iniesta collected a ball from Lionel Messi and drove the equalizer past Petr Cech to start celebrations on the Barcelona bench. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola raced down the touchline toward the club's fans to celebrate and it was several minutes before the game resumed. “The game was very difficult but we knew it would be,” Eto'o said. “The most important thing was to keep our own style, wherever we play. Put us on any field and sometimes we can lose, but most of the time we win.” Barcelona will now send its star-filled lineup to face United in a final many neutral followers had been longing for. Barcelona will be chasing its third title after winning in 1992 and 2006 and United, which won in ‘68, ‘99 and last season, is after its fourth. Barcelona should have Thierry Henry back in the lineup after he was ruled out of this game. The French star left the field with a knee injury despite scoring twice in the team's impressive 6-2 victory at Real Madrid on Saturday. Although the French star trained at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, he didn't even make the bench for the game.
