Chelsea striker Didier Drogba admitted he has a soft spot for the Carling Cup after dumping Newcastle out of the competition in the quarterfinals.Drogba scored with a superb free-kick just 11 minutes from full-time at St James’ Park on Wednesday to seal a 1-0 win that kept Chelsea’s bid to win all four major trophies on course.

The Ivory Coast star, who had also hit the winner against Newcastle in the Premiership last week, knows all about League Cup glory after scoring in Chelsea’s 2005 final win over Liverpool.

That victory was Drogba’s first taste of success in English football and, with Chelsea through to the last four, he is determined to savour the winning feeling again.“Everyone knows how important this competition is to me because it was my first trophy in England and I scored in the final,” Drogba said.“The team wants to win every game because we want to be champions again and to win this trophy.”

Drogba has been suffering from a thigh injury recently but he came on for the lacklustre Andriy Shevchenko with 17 minutes left and made an instant impact.Nicky Butt fouled Arjen Robben and Drogba stepped up to curl the free-kick past Shay Given for his 17th goal this season.

He is in the form of his life after grabbing the decisive goal in each of Chelsea’s last three matches, but he put that impressive run down to the hard work of his team-mates.“Sometimes you have a good period like this,” Drogba said. “But if I score it is because everyone is doing a good job and maybe their defence is tired. Sheva, Salomon Kalou and Arjen all did well.

PUNCH

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Love is not a choice - it is a Commandment ~ Pastor Bimbo Odukoya