Brawl mars Chelsea cup final win

Chelsea's Frank Lampard, second right, reacts with Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas, right, during the English League Cup final soccer match at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on Sunday. Chelsea's John Obi Mikel, behind Lampard, and Arsenal's Kolo Toure, left, were sent off by referee Howard Webb. Chelsea won the match 2-1. PHOTO: AP

Chelsea Arsenal produced a League Cup final that highlighted the best of English soccer. And the worst.

Drogba two goals for Chelsea after Theo Walcott had given Arsenal the lead in the 12th minute in a match that pitted Chelsea's expensively assembled stars against a youthful Arsenal side.

But a horrifying head injury to Chelsea captain John Terry and a mass brawl and three red cards took the shine off a high quality League Cup final.

"Dramatic and difficult," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said.

Drogba equalized in the 20th, and later produced a majestic header in the 84th.

Terry accidentally kicked in the head by Arsenal defender Abou Diaby in the 58th minute after trying to score with a diving header. He was removed from the field on a stretcher, but recovered to rejoin his teammates at the Millennium Stadium for the trophy celebrations.

"When he came back into the dressing room, we were all very happy to see him again," Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel said. "Everyone gave him a hug."

Tempers in injury time when Arsenal's Kolo Toure and Mikel tangled after a tackle. Cesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard joined the fray, followed by others -- some trying to fight and others trying to pull them apart.

"It was an emotional thing, and I was caught up in it," Mikel said.

Mourinho Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger entered the field to quiet emotions. Mourinho also put his arm around Emmanuel Eboue, trying to calm his defender.

Referee Howard Webb conferred with his assistants and, after he red-carded Mikel and Toure, sent off Emmanuel Adebayor.

The Arsenal striker was furious, arguing that he had been a peacemaker.

Webb then showed yellow cards to Fabregas and Lampard.

"What happened was not my responsibility and not Arsene Wenger's responsibility," Mourinho said. "Arsenal lost the cup with 10 minutes to go. It was emotion for them in the wrong way."

"It's not time to find who is guilty or not guilty. It's time to think about the good things," he said.

That's Chelsea's win and Arsenal's youth showcase.

"Everybody can take some positive things out of the game," Mourinho said. "If the players did something wrong on the pitch, they have to be punished for that. We managers, we have to educate them, and they have to learn from their experiences."

For Wenger, the loss was a stark reminder of May's European Champions League final, when the Gunners lost to FC Barcelona 2-1.

"We didn't lose a game, just in the final part of the final," Wenger said. "If we had kept our calm, we had the energy and mental resources to come back and we would have come very close to come back. That killed our last chance to come back to 2-2."

Wenger said he was disappointed by the brawl.

"I don't think it reflected the quality of the game," Wenger said. "Both teams went for it in a fair way. I think that people will still keep somewhere, in a little place in their brain, that they saw a great football game."

Wenger, who still hasn't beaten Chelsea since Mourinho took over in 2004, deliberately used his younger players throughout the competition -- and likened the defeat to May's loss to Barcelona.

"I had my vision coming into this competition," Wenger said. "I did stick to it until the last minute and I do not regret for any second what I did."

Even Mourinho was impressed with Arsenal.

"They beat Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham with this team," Mourinho said. "We are speaking about a very good young team with a lot of good players."

Terry injured in the 58th while attempting to score with a diving header. Diaby lunged with his foot and caught the England captain in the face.

After treatment from medical staff, Terry was placed on a stretcher with an oxygen mask over his mouth and a brace around his head. Play was halted for six minutes before he was carried off the field and the game resumed.