These two UEFA Champions League finals were decided under bizarre circumstances, with dramatic twists involved but which one is better?
Liverpool had to come back from a 3-0 halftime deficit, to win the match on penalties while Manchester United scored two quick goals in injury time to snatch a victory from jaws of a defeat. But which one proved to be the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time).
In 2005 at Istanbul, Turkey, Liverpool were 3-0 down at halftime in the ultimate game of Europe’s coveted trophy but three goals within six minutes from Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso ensured parity was restored by the hour mark. The match went on for 30 more minutes until the fulltime whistle was blown. Another 30 minutes of extra time was played without any goals being scored.
The penalty shootout itself was a dramatic occasion, with players like Pirlo, Shevchenko and Serginho failing to convert from the spot – giving Liverpool a 3-2 penalty shootout victory.
In 1999 in Barcelona, Spain, Bayern Munich took an eighth-minute lead, courtesy of a Mario Basler free kick and the Bundesliga outfit thought they would see it out only for Man United substitutes in the shape of Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to score two stoppage time goals within a space of two minutes to hand their team the trophy.
The game’s ending was so unexpected that UEFA President Lennart Johansson had left his seat in the stands before Sheringham’s equaliser to make his way down to the pitch to present the European Cup trophy, already decorated with Bayern ribbons. When emerging from the tunnel at the final whistle, he was stunned. He said “I can’t believe it. The winners are crying and the losers are dancing.”
There’s virtually nothing to choose between the two finals but I say 1999 outstrips the Scousers’ victory because Manchester United’s comeback was completed in regulation time. Liverpool’s comeback from three goals is quite remarkable but having six goals in 60 minutes and going for another hour without a single goal is a true definition of anticlimax.
Had Liverpool completed the comeback in regulation time it would have been the best, hands down but the anticlimax gives the Manchester United triumph and edge.
