Rab’s World

For the third time! What a game! What a nail-biter! We had all the elements of a great football match. Let’s see: Two well-known, world-class teams; ridiculously well-paid, world famous players. Goals; red cards; yellow cards; shoving and pushing; numerous goal attempts; packed stadium; injuries; extra time; extreme weather … and penalty shootouts & sudden death!

There are only two states in a championship final like this. A winner and a loser. It was tough game.

So…..the 2007/2008 UEFA Champions League CHAMPS..for real!! are. ding-ding! MANCHESTER UNITED 6-5 ON PENALTIES!

English Premier League powerhouse; MANCHESTER UNITED (red) battled fellow EPL club; CHELSEA FC (blue) to a 90+ regulation time draw at Moscow 2008 in the gorgeous Luzhniki Stadium. Both teams just came out of the grueling English Premier League with Man U being crowned the top team with Chelsea following in the number two spot. This is only fitting that they also meet in Moscow for ‘bragging rights’.

Man United took the lead with the youthful Christiano Ronaldo placing a toss from Wes Brown in the 27th minute. Ronaldo later showed that Michael Essien could not hang with him. Frank Lampard of Chelsea later slots in one to even up the score in the 45+ minute before Half time. It must be noted that many were not expecting an orgy of goals. But many expected (and they expected right!) that this would be an exciting game minute for minute. Manchester United dominated this first half.

The second half was all about Chelsea trying and pushing. Many misguided attempts by Essien & Drogba. Manchester United also tried some moves with Tévez swiftly challenging all and offensively trying to score. Inconspicuously unnoticeable is Didier Drogba. Not much meaningful input from him. But as you will read later; he will change the outcome of the game.

So let’s take an EXTRA 15 minutes. the time for me in New York is late afternoon, but Moscow is pushing past midnight! * Cards are flying. Carvalho gets one. Finally Salamon Kalou comes in for Florent Malouda. Anelka comes in for Chelsea also. Many attempts in this 1st extra time. But … we need a 2nd extra time to decide this nail-biter!

Things get real heated in this second extra half. No goals but lots of cards. The ones we are used to seeing; the red and yellow ones! Not to mention that rain began to come down even harder in Moscow. Players were slipping and sliding all over the place. I began to notice that Wayne Rooney of Manchester United was too quiet. But the rest of the environment was NOT quiet. Carlos Tevez argued with several of Chelsea players. More players got involved. The attention moved from Tevez to Didier Drogba. Drogba finger-whacks (slaps) Nemanja Vidic (Man U) in the face! The referee moves and dishes a yellow card to Ballack of Chelsea and maneuvers through the human confusion straight to Drogba and draws the red card! Drogba looks shocked. It takes several people to ‘kindly’ let Didier know that he has to leave the pitch immediately. Drogba is hesitant. Whoa! Not good! The 2nd extra half ends not only with the tension of the cards but now both teams must become slaves to the penalty Shoot-out phase. No escape!

Here are the results that caused Manchester United to lift the trophy in Moscow 2008 from top to bottom.

PENALTY SHOOT-OUT
TEVEZ SCORES Man Utd 1-0 Chelsea
BALLACK SCORES Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea
CARRICK SCORES Man Utd 2-1 Chelsea
BELLETTI SCORES Man Utd 2-2 Chelsea
RONALDO MISSES Man Utd 2-2 Chelsea
LAMPARD SCORES Man Utd 2-3 Chelsea
HARGREAVES SCORES Man Utd 3-3 Chelsea
A COLE SCORES Man Utd 3-4 Chelsea
NANI SCORES Man Utd 4-4 Chelsea
TERRY MISSES Man Utd 4-4 Chelsea
ANDERSON SCORES Man Utd 5-4 Chelsea
KALOU SCORES Man Utd 5-5 Chelsea
GIGGS SCORES Man Utd 6-5 Chelsea
ANELKA MISSES Man Utd 6-5 Chelsea

AS you can see Jon Terry missed the net and hit the pole. Then later, the Dutch goalkeeper E. Van de Sar cold ‘patty caked’ (blocked with two hands) Nicolas Anelka’s shoot attempt

Do Anelka & Terry get the blame? Not from my point of view. Terry’s right foot slipped and broke his kick stride/momentum which sent the ball askew. Anelka just got played better by a man doing his job - keeping the goal. Edwin van der Sar was that man who saved Man United face. Remember that Ronaldo missed his shoot-out attempt by hesitating before footing the ball to Cech.

This match will be talked about for years. Some props should be given to Ryan Giggs for his record-breaking playing appearances for Man United.

Interesting NOTES: From an African perspective. Chelsea has Essien from Ghana; Kalou and Drogba from La Côte DiIvoire and John Obi Mikel (who did not see pitch action in this momentus game). Although they have african names; these guys owe national allegiance to France. Nicolas Anelka; Florent Malouda Claude Makélélé. José Bosingwa is from Portugal.

Manchester United has Patrice Evra and Louis Saha who’s national allegiance is to France. They also have Nani; connected to Cabo Verde but has national allegiance to Portugal.