AC Milan v Liverpool, Istanbul
25 May 2005
As we were for most of this season, we are underdogs in this match, nay THE FINAL. How we got there is a fairytale really, mostly filled with grit and determination and (who doesn't need it is kidding themselves) luck. The omens were all there;
1978:
Wales win the Grand Slam in Rugby
A new Pope is appointed
Liverpool lose in the League Cup final to the eventual League Champions that year (Forest)
Liverpool win the European Cup
1981:
Prince Charles got married
Ken and Deirdre got married (Coronation Street)
A new Doctor Who was appointed
Norwich and Crystal Palace were relegated
Liverpool won the European Cup
2005:
A new Pope is appointed
Wales win the Grand Slam in Rugby
A new Doctor Who was appointed
Prince Charles got married
Ken and Deirdre got married (Coronation Street)
Liverpool lose in the League Cup final to the eventual League Champions that year (Chelsea)
Norwich and Crystal Palace were relegated
In the previous 4 finals that we've won, Liverpool wore red against opponents wearing white, so when AC Milan despite being designated home team wanted to wear white (they'd won previously wearing white) we thought that too many omens had come together for us to fail.
Then the game started. Ancellotti had boasted that Milan would break down our defence within 3 minutes... and they did in the first minute. BambiTraore gave away a free kick at the edge of the area and Maldini of all people, miscued the ball into the net. The rest of the first half passed torturously for any Liverpool fan as Milan commanded the midfield and Kaka especially was brilliant. His trhough ball for Crespo to score the third goal (yes 3-0 in the first half) was exquisite. 3-0 after 45 minutes. It was like the mr Hyde team that had played in the league turned up instead of the Dr jekyll team that usually plays in the UCL.
The the second half started, and the realist fan said "let's not get embarrassed, we'd never live it down". The die-hard optimist fan in me said, "well if we can score one, there might be hope". The the fightback started with Gerrard's goal. Then Smicer scored. 3-2 and the crowd was wild. Then Gerrard again bearing down onto goal was brought down and a penalty was given...
Some people say it was a bit of a soft peno, but I believe that if you're running and someone nudges you its quite easy to fall. Anyhow what goes around comes around and there'll be days when we deserve penalties but didn't get them (well there HAVE been, and will be in the future) so those righteous b*st*rds who have never had a soft peno decision given for them or against them can bloody well stfu.
Alonso sent the ball to Dida's right and he actually managed to palm it, but it fell directly to Alonso who scored. 3-3 and all within a 6 minute blitz. Breathless stuff, and Milan were rattled. But they came back into the game and pressed all the way till the end of extra time. Just before the end of ET I think there must have been some Liverpool fan deaths as Schevchenko had a point-blank shot at Dudek and the rebound too which Dudek managed to keep out somehow. Milan players must have felt the fates were conspiring against them.
So on to penalties and we eventually won 3-2 after Dudek had saved from Schevchenko again.
European Champions, and we get to keep the cup this time since it's the 5th time.
Detractors say that Liverpool stole the game in 6 minutes. I say Milan had all of 114 minutes to win it and they couldn't either. The Liverpool crowd had a lot to do with it... if you hear You'll Never Walk Alone sung by 40,000 people when you're 3-0 down at halftime, there is no way you can lose.
There's one more omen, but that'd be tempting fate...