Ballard channelled Drogba to secure Sunderland glory

Dan Ballard celebrates his goalDan Ballard says he visualised Didier Drogba's iconic Champions League final goal just seconds before steering in a replica to take Sunderland to Wembley.

The 25-year-old former Arsenal youngster headed in a corner at the near post to overcome Coventry in the final seconds of extra time in the Championship play-off semi-final at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday.

It came 13 years to the week after Drogba produced a similar finish from a corner to snatch an 89th-minute draw for Chelsea in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, and Ballard said he had visualised it before Enzo Le Fee swung in the set-piece which he stooped to head home in unorthodox…