One such game occurred on May 26th 1989 when Liverpool played Arsenal to be First Division champions. It was a game between first and second with Arsenal three points behind Liverpool and needing to win by two clear goals to become champions. Liverpool needed a draw or a win to become champions. At 90 minutes Arsenal were leading 1-0 which was enough to hand Liverpool the title.
However, after a Liverpool attack breaks down the Arsenal goalkeeper throws the ball to Dixon who sends a long pass to Smith who passes the ball on to Michael Thomas who charges into the Liverpool penalty area. Thomas waits for the Liverpool goalkeeper to commit himself to a save and Thomas lifts the ball into the net. The Liverpool ground exploded into chaotic celebrations. Arsenal scored their second goal at 90+2 minutes thereby winning the game and becoming First Division champions for 1988-1989 season.
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| Michael Thomas winning the 1989 League Championship for Arsenal at Anfield |
Some say the significance of this game was that it rescued English football from the misery of football hooliganism, the Heysel and Hillsborough tragedies and paved the way for the formation of the Premier League three years later in 1992.
Another such game was the 1999 Champions League final in Barcelona between Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Going into the game United were on course to win the Treble as they were already Premier League champions and had won the FA Cup as well. However, in the final after 90 minutes, United were 1-0 down and 3 minutes of time were added on. United had a corner which Beckham sent into the Bayern penalty area. This was poorly cleared and Giggs sent the ball back into the Bayern goal area where substitute Teddy Sheringham put the ball in to the Bayern net.
The goal was timed at 36 seconds into injury time. Thirty seconds after the restart United forced another corner which Beckham sent into the Bayern penalty area finding the head of Teddy Sheringham who nodded the ball across the face of the goal. The second United substitute Solskjaer reacted quickest and prodded the ball into the back of the Bayern net. The second United goal was scored with 43 seconds of the game remaining.
Many of the Bayern players were so distraught to have lost the game in such a fashion that they could hardly restart the game. Shortly after the game was over, United were European champions and became the first English club to achieve the Treble, winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in the same season. The Treble winners also confirmed their domination of English football winning their last Premier title in 2013 when manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired from the game after 26 trophy laden years.
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| Manchester United, European Champions and treble winners in 1999 |
Perhaps the most famous and iconic game in Premiership history occurred when Manchester City played Queens Park Rangers (QPR) at home on Sunday 13th May 2012. City went in to the final match on the final day of the season as Premiership leaders from arch-rivals Manchester United on goal difference. Manchester United were playing away at Sunderland. City needed to match or better United’s result at Sunderland. Additionally, QPR needed a draw to escape relegation from the Premiership.
As luck would have it, QPR were leading 2-1 after 90 minutes and there were 5 minutes of added time to play. Despite nearly constant pressure, QPR hung on until the second minute of added time when a Silva corner was headed in by the City striker Edin Dzeko headed to make it 2-2. By this point news came through that results elsewhere meant QPR were safe from relegation but also that United had beaten Sunderland and as things stood United were going to be league champions. City needed to another goal to become champions.
In the 94th minute City forward Balotelli despite being on the ground passed a ball to striker Sergio Aguero who ran further into the QPR penalty area and unleashed a savage shot that flew into the back of the QPR goal. The Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler roared simply “Aguerooooo” as the ball hit the back of the net and the stadium erupted into emotional chaos. City had won their first Premiership title and won their first league championship in 44 years under manager Roberto Mancini.
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| "Aguerooooo" winning the 2012 League Championship for Manchester City |
The significance of this game, and this goal in particular, is that City under new manager Pep Guardiola from 2016 would go on to dominate the English game. Since 2016 City and Guardiola have won 18 major trophies including winning the Treble of the Premier League, the FA Cup and the European Champions League in 2021 equalling Manchester United’s Treble in 1999. City are only the second English club to complete the Treble.
GOAL!
Five minutes left to play
two goals down are they
going to throw it all away
Come on, come on, we need
a goal, just one more goal
to ease our aching desperate soul
A loose ball, a bad clearance
it’s in the back of the net, it’s
called perseverance
Three minutes left, keep on
Up the attack, no holding back
just pressure, pressure, pressure
Bad tackles, desperate defending
the noise is unrelenting, just hit the
shot, give it all you’ve got
Aguerooooo!
With thanks to Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler for the iconic “Agueroooo”.
And thank you to you for reading. Please leave a comment as they are always appreciated.
1 comments:
A great read, Dermot. I was away in Greece for Blackpool's recent home game against Barnsley. We were (predictably) pretty rubbish and could easily (should easily) have lost by a ton, but it was still 0-0 into tome added on and then Blackpool scored against all the odds in the 98th minute to steal the victory 1-0. My friends tell me the place went mad, as you have noted it can do with last minute iconic winners. For a joyous moment all the previous crap 97 minutes are forgiven and forgotten in the collective hysteria.
Although Blackpool is my lifelong football loyalty, I do have a soft spot for Arsenal, from my years of living in London, and I regularly revisit that season-defining away win at Anfield in 1989 because it's the climax of the movie 'Fever Pitch', one of my all time favourite films and still probably one of the best fictional portrayals of what it's like to be a football fanatic.
It's a great poem you've made of that Manchester City triumph. How lucky you are to have had so many successes to enjoy in recent years. Pep is a legend. I envy you.
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