SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums College, Pro & International Soccer Champions League Final

On ESPN2 and at the half..........

AC Milan 3
Liverpool 0

Goals:
Maldini (1')
Crespo (39', 44')

Liverpool looks completely outmatched. Gerrard is seemingly not on the field. No possession for Liverpool. Maldini scored on a sick side volley from a free kick. Crespo scored on a 3-goal situation with a one touch shot from the back of the 6 and on a break-a-way. Shevchenko has had 3-4 quality opportunities.

I'm disappointed...I figured this would be a good match...it certainly was not how I had expected to spend 45 minutes...complete and total domination

Liverpool scores, Gerrard (54')

54'

AC Milan 3
Liverpool 1

Gerrard with a header into the 90. Dida actually had a chance to save it if he had dove. He kind of shuffled over and hoped. He used the GKs favorite save-- the Jedi Mind Trick save.

Liverpool scores AGAIN! Smicer (56')

56' Liverpool scores again.

AC Milan 3
Liverpool 2

60'... Liverpool PK

Alonso scores after Dida saved the PK

3-3

What a comeback!!!! Surely storybook from here on out!!!

Liverpool scores once again! Alonso (60') off a blocked PK. Went to the left corner, keeper got a hand on it, he remembered what he was taught as a kid to "follow his shots" and put one right under the crossbar.

...Something told me not to change the channel...

ANY soccer fan should search far and wide to find a replay of this match and tape it. This is one for the ages.

For those of you, like me, who can't watch the game go here and click on Match Centre:
http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/UCL/index.html#

we have overtime!

118'

Dudek stops Shecchenko twice from literally 2 yards away. Dudek was on the goal line making a save on Shevchenko's header and then Shevchenko's volley. 2 minutes to go

Time for PKs

Liverpool win!!!!!

Dudek saves Shevchenko's PK!!!!!

Liverpool in PKS, 3-2,!!!!!!!!!!
1st shot, AC miss, L goal
2nd shot, AC saved, L goal
3rd shot, AC goal, L goal
4th shot, AC goal, L saved
5th shot, AC saved
Liverpool Champions League Champions after a 3-0 defecit at halftime!!!!!!!!

When will it be re-played?

Congratulations to Liverpool! What a comeback for the Reds and what a collapse by AC Milan! Glad to see a team from the Barclays Premiership take home the Champions League title. Boy, talking about saving a season -- should Liverpool have lost today's match they would have been shutout of Champions League football next year.

What a thing of beauty!!

So...
who had the better season??

Chelsea-- Premiership champions, most wins ever, lost to Liverpool in the Champions League semis

-or-

Liverpool-- i believe a 5th place finish in the Premiership but Champions League winners with the greatest comeback ever in that event

-or-

Arsenal-- FA Cup Champions

Yes I wonder UEFA will do. They already ruled to say there is NO automatic place for the Winners. Which is a bit strange to understand, but at least it was stated up front, "the top four teams (two of which have to play in the qualification stages) from the Premiership.

My idea would be replace Arsenal with Liverpool. At least they went over the half-way line in teh second half and no comparison in entertainment value.

If they don't do that. I hope they give them a wild card entry somehow.

Voice. Chelsea had the best season. Winning the league is the most important trophy. Champions league is close, though.

But I think if you gave these teams the choice they'd say 38 games is a tougher test. Even if some of the opposition is nowwhere near as good. Of course, the early rounds of the Champions league can see some pretty weak teams too.

Classic anti-Gunner response!

quote:

---

My idea would be replace Arsenal with Liverpool. At least they went over the half-way line in teh second half and no comparison in entertainment value.

---

Good luck in the transfer market -- maybe you'll find some hardware with one of your signings!

VOR, Chelsea had an unbelievable season and I'm sure the boys at the One Eyed Newt across from Stamford Bridge had many a celebration in 2004-05. Will be interesting to see if Roman Abramovich and Jose Mourinho can pull the proper (purse) strings again next year!

Voice of reason, you just made me jump out of my chair, and then get really mad...My friends and I turned off the game at half time to play fifa..and i missed my favorite team of all time make the greatest comback of all time...when will this game be replayed.

Cap'n--
If you were watching the game, you did not need my commentary to know what was going on.

As for my opinion on my earlier question...
I believe that a domestic league offers the most difficult away games because of the natural hatred for visiting teams. However, there are no Preston North Ends, West Broms or Crystal Palaces in the Champions League.

I believe that you have to do something special in your domestic league (see 03-04 undefeated Arsenal and 04-05 most points Chelsea) to challenge the prestige of the Champions League.

Thank God for DVR...

Thought about the question of which is bigger.

Probably winning the Champions League is better. Provided you've won your domestic league recently.

I heard Martin O'Neil talking about the UEFA Cup Final being his finest hour, despite three League titles. Now I know Scotland is an easier league, but still once you've won the league a couple of times, the Champions League is bigger.

So all that being said. Perhaps because it was Chelseas first title in years, it is still the league for them.

For Liverpool it means more being the Champions League.

For Manchester United and Arsenal it would surely be the Champions League.

On a side note. The FA Cup used to big. But now it's not so recognised. Downgraded like the League Cup. "Not surprising seeing as you can win it without taking a shot at goal."

So, the FA Cup is "downgraded" these days? Then why did 13.7 million people watch it on TV in the United Kingdom and 71,876 show up to watch in person in Cardiff, Wales? It's the world's largest "open" Cup competition and is still important at the domestic level.

quote:

---

The thrilling finale of Saturday's FA Cup Final gripped the nation with TV viewing figures peaking at a remarkable 13.7 million.

The huge number of viewers tuning in to watch Arsenal's victory over Manchester United on BBC and Sky Sports made it the biggest sporting peak audience of the year to date.

It was also the the biggest match audience for The FA Cup Final since 1997's match between Chelsea and Middlesbrough, and the highest peak quarter hour audience since 1996 (Manchester United v Liverpool).

FA Chief Executive Brian Barwick said: "The viewing figures for Saturday's Cup Final were tremendous. They graphically illustrate the unique and enduring appeal of The FA Cup.

"There has been a significant rise in viewing figures for The Cup throughout this season matched by extremely healthy attendances for all rounds of the competition. This suggests very clearly that The FA Cup still has a central place in the hearts of football fans.

"We look forward to further increases next season as we build up to The FA Cup Final's return to the Wembley Stadium."

This season's competition has seen peak audience figures of over seven million for six different matches on the BBC. Manchester United's replay with Exeter in the Third Round peaked at 8.2 million while Everton v Manchester United in the Fifth Round drew 8.1 million viewers.

The seven million mark was also passed in the Fourth Round match between Manchester United and Middlesbrough as well as Sheffield United v Arsenal in a Fifth Round replay and the Manchester United v Newcastle Semi-Final.

The impressive viewing figures have been matched by rising attendances at FA Cup matches. Average crowds in every round of the competition from the Third Round onwards have been higher than in the previous two campaigns.

On Third Round weekend, an average attendance of 17,214 made it the highest number in 24 years, while the Fourth Round weekend average of 25,714 was the best for 27 years. The completed Fifth Round saw an average of 28,272 per game - the best for six seasons.

The two Semi-Finals at the Millennium Stadium in April drew an audience of 121,357 - the third highest in the last 30 years. The two higher figures (1993 and 2000) were on occasions when both ties were played at Wembley.

---

I heard on the radio that soccer fans in Auckland, New Zealand stormed the streets at 4:00 a.m. when the TV station opted to show the scheduled show in that time slot rather than show the overtime and penalty kicks in the F.A. Cup Final. Doesn't seem "downgraded" to the Kiwis after their version of the "Heidi game". (OK, I showed my age with that comment).

My Left Foot, what is with this reference to your name -- are you an admirer of Christy Brown?

The first Champions League final to be won the day after it started! Random piece of trivia for you!

Great win for Liverpool!!!!
Interestingly enough I was looking down at Liverpools team sheet to find all those South American players, you know, those with all that flair and skill and passion. Plenty on Milan's team but, golly gosh they didn't win the Champions League, Liverpool did. A European team full of Europeans!!!!!!!!

Have to admit I have no idea who Christy Brown is ? Can you explain ? Was she the person who hacked down Vierra in Foleys video topic "One for Kyle" ?

In all seriousness (for a change). I think you'll find that in the last couple of years (particularly when they were still involved in Champions League and looking to win the title - so perhaps not this year) Man Utd and others have been playing FA Cup matches with sometimes only 3-5 first choice players. The sponsors were really upset about it, but had no power and the FA are powerless on this topic. The reason was to avoid player burn-out / injuries.

The FA Cup Final viewing figures are no surprise though. It's the only game that's going on. There are no other league or lower division games being played or shown on TV at the same time.

It's also on Saturday afternoon live in the UK, which is like a Superbowl tradition. I think it's still on terrestrial TV (free) too.

In the past Games were rarely live in England except that one. Now they are live but they are spread the live TV games on pay-per-view and over the full weekend so viewing figures are impacted by people usually only getting to watch one or two games which means ratings are very spread out.

Even my Mum used to sit down and watch the FA Cup. She was from Sunderland and delighted in their 1973 1-0 win over Leeds (the then dominant English team). Sunderland were not even in the top division and this was a massive upset.

So although last weekends game had two (one) great teams with a lot of National support playing, I stand by my comment on the devaluation of the FA Cup, versus the Premiership. Of course the Premiership has also grown in stature at the same time as the FA Cup has fallen from grace.

By the way, my Father, my Father-in-law, my Brother and Brother-in-law all played in the FA Cup. My Dad reached the third round with Swindon Town. This was our families best showing. Unfortunately, I wasn't good enough.

Christy Brown is 'My Left Foot' -- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097937/

REVIEW #1
Daniel Day-Lewis' almost impossible performance as a man with cerebral palsy earned him a well-deserved Oscar in 1989 for Best Actor over the heavily favoured Tom Cruise in 'Born on the Fourth of July' and Morgan Freeman in 'Driving Miss Daisy'. The Academy was still riding the wave of awarding Dustin Hoffman a second Best Actor prize a year earlier for his performance as a mentally challenged individual in 'Rain Man' and since Day-Lewis' performance was superior to Hoffman's, the Academy had to recognize him. Day-Lewis probably would have won anyway as his performance was hard to ignore and he had never received any acting nominations from the Academy before this film despite turning in great work in such films as 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' and 'My Beautiful Laundrette.'

As Christy Brown, Daniel Day-Lewis makes his character unsympathetic as he doesn't want you to feel sorry for him. He achieved the great success of being an accomplished writer and artist. Director Jim Sheridan directs the film like a series of home movies that millions want to see.

Brenda Fricker won the Oscar as Best Supporting Actress as Brown's mother and she is the real moral centre of the film and this film proves that Hollywood is capable of choosing small, lesser known films for Oscar consideration and 'My Left Foot' is a film that is uplifting without being sentimental.

-- IMDB

REVIEW #2
Christy Brown is a spastic quadriplegic born to a large, poor Irish family. His mother, Mrs Brown, recognizes the intelligence and humanity in the lad everyone else regards as a vegetable. Eventually, Christy matures into a cantankerous writer who uses his only functional limb, his left foot, to write with.

-- Summary written by Reid Gagle

REVIEW #3
In this true story told through flashbacks, Christy Brown is born with crippling cerebral palsy into a poor, working-class Irish family. Able only to control movement in his left foot and to speak in guttural sounds, he is mistakenly believed to be retarded for the first ten years of his life. Later, through the help of his strong-willed mother, a dedicated teacher, and his own courage and determination, Christy not only learns to grapple with life's simple physical tasks and complex psychological pains, but he also develops into a brilliant painter, poet and author.

-- Summary written by David Mullich

"Interestingly enough I was looking down at Liverpools team sheet to find all those South American players, you know, those with all that flair and skill and passion. Plenty on Milan's team but, golly gosh they didn't win the Champions League, Liverpool did. A European team full of Europeans!!!!!!!!"

I though Crespo scored two goals... also the best goal of the night! Where was Shevshenko, best European player of the year????

Well soccer is like that, is the beauty of the game. Congrats to Liverpool. I heard that a team from Wales is going to give up their place in the next Champions League to let Liverpool play, thats good. Rafe Benitez is doing a great job with his boys.

Here is what I think about the game;


Well my knowledge, my experience as a player, and my culture (latino) are telling me that I should give my opinion.

I have many europeans friends, most of them from Italy and Spain. Also many South American friends, most of them from Argentina.

Spaniards and Italians are differents to Americans in that aspect. They don't care about rankings.

They think their leagues are the best in the world... I don't want to make a controversy out of this. Liverpool defeated Milan, and I give Liverpool all the respect they deserve. Anytime an English team wins the Champions League, Spaniards or Italians, says "they were lucky this time." I'm not kidding, I even think the same. The level of club soccer they play in Spain and Italy cannot be compared with any other league in the world. Teams like Real Madrid, Milan, and Juventus are almost always going for the Champions League.

There is a lot of things I would love to explain it to you about South American and Hispanic soccer, but people like... make me think that is not worth it! I'm not going to waste my time when people is mean, racist, and most of the time come out with very offensive comments.

Italians and Spaniards think that the most importants tournaments in soccer are; World Cup and Champions League. So the Argentinans and Brazilians think the same with Copa Libertadores and the WC. Their leagues is also important for them.

Liverpool won the Champions... that means Milan have to get rid of some old players they have, that means Capello (maybe the best soccer coach alive) have to bring some better players to Juventus. That's what it means for Italians.

Liverpol won the Champions league... that means that Madrid have get rid of Beckam, Owen, Figo, and maybe Zidane... That means Madrid is going to bring more Brazilians and Argentinians to the team. That also means that Madrid is going to start offering millions of Euros for Lampart or Gerard. That's what it means for an Spaniard.

Since Spanish League, and Italian leagues have more South Americans, people give this leagues the respect they deserve. I'm not saying that the Premier League is bad... I'm just saying that to get "recognized" by us (latinos) they have to have more South Americans players (where the best soccer in the world is played).

Is does not surprise me that Liverpool won the champions because they have 3 Spaniards, 2 players who used to play for Barcelona, a team with a huge ego, and Benitez who came from Valencia(after doing real good in la liga). Adding to that, I think Gerard was very important to the Spanish "Armada" Liverpool has. So I would not be surprised to see Gerard playing for Madrid next year... he is a "madrid-type," of player.

I hope I don't offend anybody, this is just a latino's point of view of soccer. Liverpool won, latinos think it was "lucky" too. The only non English team that has the latino's respect now days is Chelsee.

Thanks. Hoping you guys to see this post as an opinion and not as a threat.

Thanks for putting me straight.