Darth Cluich
05-26-2005, 06:51 AM
Congrats to the Pool!
Dudek's "spaghetti legs" act in the shootout was a riot -- and it worked! :cool:
Liverpool erases three-goal deficit to win European club championship (http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpYn F0a2UxBF9TAzk1ODYzNT kwBHNlYwN0bQ--?slug=ap-championsleaguefinal&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer
May 26, 2005
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) -- Andriy Shevchenko had three chances to stave off the greatest comeback in Champions Cup history.
A running header from 10 feet. A second touch from even closer. A penalty kick to extend the shootout.
Jerzy Dudek stopped them all, and his final diving save lifted Liverpool to its fifth -- and most unlikely -- Champions League crown. The underdogs won 3-2 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 tie.
``Nights like this one are difficult to accept,'' Shevchenko said. ``I had to score. There was pressure on me, but I did not think about anything while kicking.''
It must have been near impossible to forget his last two shots.
In the 118th minute, Shevchenko was inches away from thwarting Liverpool's three-goal comeback. The reigning European player of the year ran on goal and headed a perfect crossing pass toward the left post.
Dudek retreated and made the stop while falling down, but couldn't control the rebound. Shevchenko's stride took him straight to the loose ball, and with the goalie on his knees, the game appeared over.
But Shevchenko shot to the near post and Dudek somehow deflected the ball with his left arm, up and over the crossbar.
``I don't think anyone has seen a game like that. I cannot believe we've just won,'' Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said. ``People will be talking about that game in 20 or 30 years.''
After AC Milan's Serginho and Andrea Pirlo missed to begin the shootout, Djibril Cisse put Liverpool ahead 2-0. Jon Dahl Tomasson converted for AC Milan, and after a Liverpool miss, Kaka tied it 2-2.
Vladimir Smicer then gave Liverpool a 3-2 lead, meaning Shevchenko needed to make his penalty kick. He partially fooled a diving Dudek with a shot toward the center, but the Liverpool goalie reached back to swat it with his left hand, setting off a wild celebration.
``We were massive underdogs at the beginning of the competition and I'll put my hands up and I didn't think we were going to go all the way,'' Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said. ``But as you can see tonight, we are never beaten.''
Standing alone in the penalty box, Shevchenko had been there before, with much better results.
Two years ago against Juventus, the star forward won the Champions Cup with a penalty kick, sending a shot into the right netting to break a 2-2 tie after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer.
``I think we played a good final,'' Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. ``We lost when we deserved to win. Two years ago we won on penalties when maybe we deserved to lose.''
Milan captain Paolo Maldini, chasing his fifth European Cup title at age 36, got his first goal of the season after just 52 seconds, and Hernan Crespo's two strikes put the Serie A team in control entering the break.
Gerrard's header started the comeback, and Liverpool needed just six minutes to pull even. Smicer followed with a low shot just past Milan goalie Dida, and Xabi Alonso's rebound on his own penalty kick tied it at 3.
Now Liverpool has to persuade UEFA to let it defend the title.
Gerrard's team finished fifth in the Premier League, which meant it did not capture one of the top four spots that guarantee a place in next season's Champions League.
``We hope that the people above (UEFA) will be able to let us defend it. It's called the Champions League and we are the champions, so we should be able to,'' Gerrard said.
Liverpool ousted newly crowned Italian and English champions Juventus and Chelsea to reach the final before beating strong favorite Milan.
The last time Liverpool played in a European Cup final 39 people were killed after its fans started a riot at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium. Juventus won the match 1-0, and Liverpool was banned from European competition for six years.
The Reds aren't banned this time, but they still may not be able to play in the Champions League next season.
Dudek's "spaghetti legs" act in the shootout was a riot -- and it worked! :cool:
Liverpool erases three-goal deficit to win European club championship (http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpYn F0a2UxBF9TAzk1ODYzNT kwBHNlYwN0bQ--?slug=ap-championsleaguefinal&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer
May 26, 2005
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) -- Andriy Shevchenko had three chances to stave off the greatest comeback in Champions Cup history.
A running header from 10 feet. A second touch from even closer. A penalty kick to extend the shootout.
Jerzy Dudek stopped them all, and his final diving save lifted Liverpool to its fifth -- and most unlikely -- Champions League crown. The underdogs won 3-2 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 tie.
``Nights like this one are difficult to accept,'' Shevchenko said. ``I had to score. There was pressure on me, but I did not think about anything while kicking.''
It must have been near impossible to forget his last two shots.
In the 118th minute, Shevchenko was inches away from thwarting Liverpool's three-goal comeback. The reigning European player of the year ran on goal and headed a perfect crossing pass toward the left post.
Dudek retreated and made the stop while falling down, but couldn't control the rebound. Shevchenko's stride took him straight to the loose ball, and with the goalie on his knees, the game appeared over.
But Shevchenko shot to the near post and Dudek somehow deflected the ball with his left arm, up and over the crossbar.
``I don't think anyone has seen a game like that. I cannot believe we've just won,'' Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said. ``People will be talking about that game in 20 or 30 years.''
After AC Milan's Serginho and Andrea Pirlo missed to begin the shootout, Djibril Cisse put Liverpool ahead 2-0. Jon Dahl Tomasson converted for AC Milan, and after a Liverpool miss, Kaka tied it 2-2.
Vladimir Smicer then gave Liverpool a 3-2 lead, meaning Shevchenko needed to make his penalty kick. He partially fooled a diving Dudek with a shot toward the center, but the Liverpool goalie reached back to swat it with his left hand, setting off a wild celebration.
``We were massive underdogs at the beginning of the competition and I'll put my hands up and I didn't think we were going to go all the way,'' Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said. ``But as you can see tonight, we are never beaten.''
Standing alone in the penalty box, Shevchenko had been there before, with much better results.
Two years ago against Juventus, the star forward won the Champions Cup with a penalty kick, sending a shot into the right netting to break a 2-2 tie after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer.
``I think we played a good final,'' Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. ``We lost when we deserved to win. Two years ago we won on penalties when maybe we deserved to lose.''
Milan captain Paolo Maldini, chasing his fifth European Cup title at age 36, got his first goal of the season after just 52 seconds, and Hernan Crespo's two strikes put the Serie A team in control entering the break.
Gerrard's header started the comeback, and Liverpool needed just six minutes to pull even. Smicer followed with a low shot just past Milan goalie Dida, and Xabi Alonso's rebound on his own penalty kick tied it at 3.
Now Liverpool has to persuade UEFA to let it defend the title.
Gerrard's team finished fifth in the Premier League, which meant it did not capture one of the top four spots that guarantee a place in next season's Champions League.
``We hope that the people above (UEFA) will be able to let us defend it. It's called the Champions League and we are the champions, so we should be able to,'' Gerrard said.
Liverpool ousted newly crowned Italian and English champions Juventus and Chelsea to reach the final before beating strong favorite Milan.
The last time Liverpool played in a European Cup final 39 people were killed after its fans started a riot at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium. Juventus won the match 1-0, and Liverpool was banned from European competition for six years.
The Reds aren't banned this time, but they still may not be able to play in the Champions League next season.