Happy Ending
The reason I love football isn't simply because its an engaging, exciting sport both to participate in as well as watch. Its also because it sort of echoes life. You feel terrible when your team does badly and not just when they lose, but even before, when you get the feeling that they are going to lose. In real life, you seem to lose the same heart as well. Its as if the fortunes of the team is directly related to your own life. Its as if you can feel, you get premonitions about possible victories and potential stumbles. Its like the club really is in your blood.
I spent a year largely feeling down, with some high points and really low points when I wondered what was going to happen. Same for Liverpool, who seemed to blow hot and cold, beating Arsenal with a last gasp strike from Mellor, Gerrard's thumper against Olympiakos but then losing to Everton and eventually coming in 5th. I felt the same, like I knew I should be challenging for top honours, yet I succumbed to whatever it was and stumbled through my final year in university.
Yet, somehow, Liverpool managed to make it all the way to the Champions league final. Beating Juventus and Chelsea along the way. Already a minor miracle in itself. In the lead up to the game, we were obvious underdogs and I was already more than pleased we'd made it to the final. It was already a fairytale. Who'd have thought that Liverpool would even get to Istanbul?
Yet we did somehow, someway.
Tze called me two days back, saying we'd be playing football in school, so I packed up and left, wearing my jersey, which Chevy got for me when he went to the UK last year. At the busstop waiting to get to school, this caucasian guy with a Brit accent pointed to me and turns out he was a 'Pool fan. So we had a bit of a chat and left with prayers in our hearts. After an exhuastive game, the guys all came over to my place again, this time staying up till 2.45, well 5am when the match ended. We played Settlers and banged on the Playstation and there was this air of anticipation that kept building up throughout the day.
So when Flo turned on the telly, we'd already missed the first 2 minutes and the first goal. Milan were 1-0 up courtesy of a Maldini volley which I didn't even see. At that point my head was already in my hands, as I wondered how the hell we'd even score against THE Italian giants. To my horror, we didn't as Hernan Crespo, Chelsea reject popped up twice with help from Shevchenko and Kaka' to score a brace. 3-0 going into the break. Flo was gloating. I thought it was going to turn into a rout. I just prayed we wouldn't go down 5-0 and at least keep it respectable. With the names I just rattled off playing for Milan, I really didn't expect much. I'd have settled for 3-0 at the end. 3-1 would have been fantastic.
But somehow, Mr. Liverpool, Steven Gerrard heads in a brilliant cross from Riise. To think he got between Stam and Nesta to get that goal. Nevermind that as just 2 or 3 minutes later, Smicer, on for the injured Kewell scored a screamer which Dida only palmed into the back of the net. Suddenly, the belief was back. Maybe. Just maybe we could do it now. Lo and behold, Gerrard brought down by Gattuso another few minutes later. Alonso stepped up, and fluffed it! But recovered quickly to slam home the rebound. 3-3. All in 15 minutes after the break. Milan were shattered. A shadow of the side that controlled the first half.
When Cisse came on for Baros, I was thinking this could be it. He might just pop in and nick one against a tiring Milan defence. Yet Nesta, Maldini, Cafu and Stam stood firm. At full time it stood 3-3. Going into extra time, it was all defending and a couple of breaks. Milan were the dominant side but scuffed some chances. It just looked like nothing would go in. Then, Shevchenko, European player of the year, best striker in the world bar none somehow broke through the 'Pool back line. He smashed a shot goalwards inside 10 yards and in that split second I thought it was all over. Yet, Dudek managed to push it away. The tension crept up as the loose ball fell to the same man, the deadly Ukrainian with a finish as lethal as you get. Then Dudek's arms rose up, miraculously punching the ball, which still looked like it was going in. Shevchenko has an awfully powerful shot and from inside the 6 yard box, it really looked like the end. But it wasn't as the ricochet came off Dudek's fists and screeched of the bar and over for a corner.
We were saved.
Then a breakaway late on by Hamann drew a foul on the edge of the area. I thought maybe this was it, the dramatic late goal. A strike to cap it all. But then we fluffed the free kick. Hamann's layoff to the onrushing Riise seemed tired and perhaps penalties were inevitable anyway.
At this point, I still didn't give us a chance. Not least because Milan had Dida between the sticks, a giant of a man who won the Cup back in 2003 for them. Plus, he palmed away Alonso's earlier penalty and they had finishers like Shevchenko and Kaka'. But Serginho, obviously got caught up in it and blazed his effort over. One small step. Hamann struck one firmly past Dida who guessed correctly. 1-0 Liverpool. Then Pirlo, who had a great touch and looked odds on to score. Dudek handed him the ball in an effort to play some mind games. It worked. He did hop off his line to make the save but it was given. Then Cisse, a man who broke his leg and wasn't even supposed to be playing, put it away cool as you like. 2-0 Liverpool. John Dahl Tomasson and Kaka' scored whilst Riise missed and Smicer scored. 3-2 Liverpool. All down to Shevchenko. He had to score and he failed miserably, unfortunate for a player who probably deserved more than the mantle of the one who lost Milan the cup. But all credit to Dudek, who dived to his right, then stuck out an arm to deny Shevchenko's beguiling chip. It was all over. We were Kings of Europe.
With so much that had gone on through the season, It was certainly an amazing fightback and really summed up our season. We fought to the bitter end and prevailed. And now we look forward to a bright future under the stewardship of Rafa Benitez. A man who has the managerial talent and class of a winner and without the arrogance and attitude that accompanies some others. A captain with so much speculation about where he will be playing next season now looks set to lead us into a new era. I certainly hope this new era for 'Pool coincides with my own future, as I start my first job, working abroad in China, with some really great opportunities and lots of potential. I'll never walk alone.
I spent a year largely feeling down, with some high points and really low points when I wondered what was going to happen. Same for Liverpool, who seemed to blow hot and cold, beating Arsenal with a last gasp strike from Mellor, Gerrard's thumper against Olympiakos but then losing to Everton and eventually coming in 5th. I felt the same, like I knew I should be challenging for top honours, yet I succumbed to whatever it was and stumbled through my final year in university.
Yet, somehow, Liverpool managed to make it all the way to the Champions league final. Beating Juventus and Chelsea along the way. Already a minor miracle in itself. In the lead up to the game, we were obvious underdogs and I was already more than pleased we'd made it to the final. It was already a fairytale. Who'd have thought that Liverpool would even get to Istanbul?
Yet we did somehow, someway.
Tze called me two days back, saying we'd be playing football in school, so I packed up and left, wearing my jersey, which Chevy got for me when he went to the UK last year. At the busstop waiting to get to school, this caucasian guy with a Brit accent pointed to me and turns out he was a 'Pool fan. So we had a bit of a chat and left with prayers in our hearts. After an exhuastive game, the guys all came over to my place again, this time staying up till 2.45, well 5am when the match ended. We played Settlers and banged on the Playstation and there was this air of anticipation that kept building up throughout the day.
So when Flo turned on the telly, we'd already missed the first 2 minutes and the first goal. Milan were 1-0 up courtesy of a Maldini volley which I didn't even see. At that point my head was already in my hands, as I wondered how the hell we'd even score against THE Italian giants. To my horror, we didn't as Hernan Crespo, Chelsea reject popped up twice with help from Shevchenko and Kaka' to score a brace. 3-0 going into the break. Flo was gloating. I thought it was going to turn into a rout. I just prayed we wouldn't go down 5-0 and at least keep it respectable. With the names I just rattled off playing for Milan, I really didn't expect much. I'd have settled for 3-0 at the end. 3-1 would have been fantastic.
But somehow, Mr. Liverpool, Steven Gerrard heads in a brilliant cross from Riise. To think he got between Stam and Nesta to get that goal. Nevermind that as just 2 or 3 minutes later, Smicer, on for the injured Kewell scored a screamer which Dida only palmed into the back of the net. Suddenly, the belief was back. Maybe. Just maybe we could do it now. Lo and behold, Gerrard brought down by Gattuso another few minutes later. Alonso stepped up, and fluffed it! But recovered quickly to slam home the rebound. 3-3. All in 15 minutes after the break. Milan were shattered. A shadow of the side that controlled the first half.
When Cisse came on for Baros, I was thinking this could be it. He might just pop in and nick one against a tiring Milan defence. Yet Nesta, Maldini, Cafu and Stam stood firm. At full time it stood 3-3. Going into extra time, it was all defending and a couple of breaks. Milan were the dominant side but scuffed some chances. It just looked like nothing would go in. Then, Shevchenko, European player of the year, best striker in the world bar none somehow broke through the 'Pool back line. He smashed a shot goalwards inside 10 yards and in that split second I thought it was all over. Yet, Dudek managed to push it away. The tension crept up as the loose ball fell to the same man, the deadly Ukrainian with a finish as lethal as you get. Then Dudek's arms rose up, miraculously punching the ball, which still looked like it was going in. Shevchenko has an awfully powerful shot and from inside the 6 yard box, it really looked like the end. But it wasn't as the ricochet came off Dudek's fists and screeched of the bar and over for a corner.
We were saved.
Then a breakaway late on by Hamann drew a foul on the edge of the area. I thought maybe this was it, the dramatic late goal. A strike to cap it all. But then we fluffed the free kick. Hamann's layoff to the onrushing Riise seemed tired and perhaps penalties were inevitable anyway.
At this point, I still didn't give us a chance. Not least because Milan had Dida between the sticks, a giant of a man who won the Cup back in 2003 for them. Plus, he palmed away Alonso's earlier penalty and they had finishers like Shevchenko and Kaka'. But Serginho, obviously got caught up in it and blazed his effort over. One small step. Hamann struck one firmly past Dida who guessed correctly. 1-0 Liverpool. Then Pirlo, who had a great touch and looked odds on to score. Dudek handed him the ball in an effort to play some mind games. It worked. He did hop off his line to make the save but it was given. Then Cisse, a man who broke his leg and wasn't even supposed to be playing, put it away cool as you like. 2-0 Liverpool. John Dahl Tomasson and Kaka' scored whilst Riise missed and Smicer scored. 3-2 Liverpool. All down to Shevchenko. He had to score and he failed miserably, unfortunate for a player who probably deserved more than the mantle of the one who lost Milan the cup. But all credit to Dudek, who dived to his right, then stuck out an arm to deny Shevchenko's beguiling chip. It was all over. We were Kings of Europe.
With so much that had gone on through the season, It was certainly an amazing fightback and really summed up our season. We fought to the bitter end and prevailed. And now we look forward to a bright future under the stewardship of Rafa Benitez. A man who has the managerial talent and class of a winner and without the arrogance and attitude that accompanies some others. A captain with so much speculation about where he will be playing next season now looks set to lead us into a new era. I certainly hope this new era for 'Pool coincides with my own future, as I start my first job, working abroad in China, with some really great opportunities and lots of potential. I'll never walk alone.
posted by Unknown @ 5:18 PM
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