In the 93rd minute a dubious penalty was awarded, and was converted by Totti, it inevitably sealed the fate of the Aussies who were knocked out by the soon to be Champions of the World.
Showing posts with label Memorable Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memorable Games. Show all posts
Friday, April 22, 2011
Memorable Games: Australia vs Italy (0-1 Germany 2006 World Cup)
In the 93rd minute a dubious penalty was awarded, and was converted by Totti, it inevitably sealed the fate of the Aussies who were knocked out by the soon to be Champions of the World.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Memorable Games: Cameroon 2 - 1 Columbia (1990 FIFA World Cup)
In the 1990 edition of the FIFA World Cup in Italy, a 38 year old Roger Milla shone as one of the tournament's greatest players. Despite perhaps being the oldest player in that particular tournament, he led the Cameroonian frontline scoring four goals in total while in Italy.
His two most important goals came against Columbia in the Round of 16 in extra time. Locked a 0 - 0 after 90 minutes of play, Milla managed to carry Cameroon into the quarter-finals by scoring two very important and crucial goals against the team from South America. Showing grace and finesse, Milla managed to guide the West African nation for the first time in their history into the quarter finals, made more remarkable by the fact that it was the first time any African nation managed to reach this stage (which has thus been matched by Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010).
Cameroon were subsequently knocked out of the tournament by England, loosing 3 - 2 at the end of the game.
Celebrating his goals by going to the corner post and dancing, it become the focus of a 2010 World Cup ad by Coca Cola.
Watch highlights of the incredible game and Milla's feats here:
His two most important goals came against Columbia in the Round of 16 in extra time. Locked a 0 - 0 after 90 minutes of play, Milla managed to carry Cameroon into the quarter-finals by scoring two very important and crucial goals against the team from South America. Showing grace and finesse, Milla managed to guide the West African nation for the first time in their history into the quarter finals, made more remarkable by the fact that it was the first time any African nation managed to reach this stage (which has thus been matched by Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010).
Cameroon were subsequently knocked out of the tournament by England, loosing 3 - 2 at the end of the game.
Celebrating his goals by going to the corner post and dancing, it become the focus of a 2010 World Cup ad by Coca Cola.
Watch highlights of the incredible game and Milla's feats here:
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Memorable Games: Iraq 1 - 0 Saudi Arabia (2007 AFC Asain Cup Final)
It was the team that nobody expected. With a country still engaged in the aftermath of a brutal and devastating war/invasion, Iraq were seen as easy beats in the 2007 edition of the AFC Asian Cup.
How wrong many people were.
Here was a team with many of its players playing in the Iraqi domestic league, with a few sprinkles of players from leagues like Lebanon, Libya and Cyprus who under the guidance of journeyman Brazilian/Portuguese coach Jorvan Vieira, managed to make it all the way to the final of the AFC Asian Cup.
Their opponents were the very much fancied but underachieving regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia. This match isn't memorable for the lack of intensity of the game, far from it. This game is memorable because of the symbolic nature that the Iraqi triumph held in the hearts and minds of the footballing public, nay the world.
In a largely uneventful game, the Iraqi captain Younis Mohammed (pictured) unmarked rose up in 70th minute to power home a corner into the back of the net, giving the captain of this troubled nation a 1 - 0 lead over the Gulf powerhouse.
The emphatic celebration by Younis in front of a packed 60,000 streflected the passion felt by many Iraqis and felt like he was carrying the weight of this gulf nation's hopes, beliefs and expectations on his shoulders. With the ball thundering into the back of the net, it was a symbol of joy and the lifting of the trophy was the ultimate triumph for both football and the people of Iraq.
Football has the power to transcend war and bind people together, to warm the hearts of many and extinguish the notions of hate and suffering, all from the kick of all ball.
Watch the winning goal and the emphatic celebrations here:
By Marcel Abboud
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Memorable Games: Parramatta Power 0 - 1 Perth Glory (2004 NSL Grand Final)
With the final kick ever of the old National Soccer League (NSL) in Australia in 2004, Nick Mrjda after some fantastic build up Australian football legend Damian Mori, sunk the hearts of Parramatta Power and their fans, winning the last ever NSL grand final in 2004. Being locked 0 - 0 in normal time, the golden goal in extra time was in effect and a rampant Perth Glory managed to take all the day's honors and leave Parramatta Stadium as champions of Australia.
Mrjda's strike symbolized the end of "old soccer" in Australia, a league (NSL) dominated by clubs with ethnic ties and political overtures and made way for a year-long recess in Australian football. The 2005/06 season saw the launch of a new, eight team national based competition known as the A-League, which has seen a dramatic rise in professionalism and the administration of the game in Australia. Parramatta Power have since ceased to exist and Perth Glory, though still plying their trade in the A-League, are just a shadow of what they used to be in the days of the NSL.
Many of the clubs that dominated the NSL have resided into the top tier of the respective states and are still very much a cultural hub of the people that once supported them week in and week out behind their stadium's terraces. The Australian footballing public owes much thanks to the Frank Lowy led administration at the FFA, but every Australian footballing fan should never, ever, forget the past and acknowledge that these clubs helped build many of our past and present (and even future) Socceroos. Never forget history.
Nick Mrjda has just recently announced his retirement from professional football at the conclusion of the 2010/11 A-League season and has returned home to Perth.
To read more about the NSL and it's demise, visit the ever reliable Wikipedia here
Watch the curtain close on the NSL and the dawn of a new era in Australian football:
By Marcel Abboud
Mrjda's strike symbolized the end of "old soccer" in Australia, a league (NSL) dominated by clubs with ethnic ties and political overtures and made way for a year-long recess in Australian football. The 2005/06 season saw the launch of a new, eight team national based competition known as the A-League, which has seen a dramatic rise in professionalism and the administration of the game in Australia. Parramatta Power have since ceased to exist and Perth Glory, though still plying their trade in the A-League, are just a shadow of what they used to be in the days of the NSL.
Many of the clubs that dominated the NSL have resided into the top tier of the respective states and are still very much a cultural hub of the people that once supported them week in and week out behind their stadium's terraces. The Australian footballing public owes much thanks to the Frank Lowy led administration at the FFA, but every Australian footballing fan should never, ever, forget the past and acknowledge that these clubs helped build many of our past and present (and even future) Socceroos. Never forget history.
Nick Mrjda has just recently announced his retirement from professional football at the conclusion of the 2010/11 A-League season and has returned home to Perth.
To read more about the NSL and it's demise, visit the ever reliable Wikipedia here
Watch the curtain close on the NSL and the dawn of a new era in Australian football:
By Marcel Abboud
Memorable Games - Juventus vs Real Madrid - 2003 Champions League
With seemingly all the odds against them Juvenus did the impossible and progressed through at the exprnse of Madrid. Lead by captain Del Piero the Bianconeri scored a 3-1 victory which included goals from the captain, David Trezeguet and Pavel Nedved. An inspirational performance by Buffon who saved a penalty also added to the magic of the night, which would surely live on in all the memories of the Juventus faithful. Juventus went on to lose on penalties in the Final. Check out the action below.
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
Memorable Games: Adelaide United FC 8 - 1 North Queensland Fury FC (A-League, 2010/11)
A red hot Adelaide United needed a win over North Queensland to reclaim second spot on the ladder and to try to secure a top two birth for the A-League finals series.
And win they did.
An emphatic 8 - 1 win by the Reds saw the Fury crushed and sink to an even lower low as their future in next season's participation was still up in the air (at the time).
The rampaging Reds broke three records in the one game:
1) Most goals scored in one game in the A-League
2) Biggest win margin in the A-League
3) First team for two players in the one team to score a hat-trick
Adelaide United attack pair Sergio van Dijk and Marcos Flores both grabbed hat-tricks, with Iain Ramsay and Travis Dodd getting in on the action as well, all the while condemning the Fury were to finishing bottom of the table.
North Queensland Fury did manage to pull one back thanks to a Panni Nikkas freekick in the second half, but the damage had already been done.
Watch all the goals from this exciting and pulsating victory by the Reds.
RIP North Queensland Fury FC (2009/10 - 2010/11)
By Marcel Abboud
And win they did.
An emphatic 8 - 1 win by the Reds saw the Fury crushed and sink to an even lower low as their future in next season's participation was still up in the air (at the time).
The rampaging Reds broke three records in the one game:
1) Most goals scored in one game in the A-League
2) Biggest win margin in the A-League
3) First team for two players in the one team to score a hat-trick
Adelaide United attack pair Sergio van Dijk and Marcos Flores both grabbed hat-tricks, with Iain Ramsay and Travis Dodd getting in on the action as well, all the while condemning the Fury were to finishing bottom of the table.
North Queensland Fury did manage to pull one back thanks to a Panni Nikkas freekick in the second half, but the damage had already been done.
Watch all the goals from this exciting and pulsating victory by the Reds.
RIP North Queensland Fury FC (2009/10 - 2010/11)
By Marcel Abboud
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Memorable Games - Chelsea FC 2 - 1 Manchester United (EPL 07/08)
Michael Ballack's double helped blow the Premier League title race wide open as the former German captain led Chelsea FC to a 2 - 1 victory over a very stubborn Manchester United outfit.
A cross from Didier Drogba at the end of the first half saw the head of Ballack to give the Blues the lead, before United striker Wayne Rooney latched onto a mistake from Chelsea FC Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho to put the scores level in the second half.
As the game set to end in a draw, Wes Brown gave away a penalty for handling the ball in the box and Ballack obliged to step up and put the ball the opposite side of United keeper Edwin van der Sar.
Chelsea saw a late scare as the Red Devils launched a blistering attack in the dying moments, but a dramatic goal line clearance from (none other than) Andrei Shevchenko saw the scoreline remain at 2 - 1 in favour of the boys from the blue side of London.
By Marcel Abboud
A cross from Didier Drogba at the end of the first half saw the head of Ballack to give the Blues the lead, before United striker Wayne Rooney latched onto a mistake from Chelsea FC Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho to put the scores level in the second half.
As the game set to end in a draw, Wes Brown gave away a penalty for handling the ball in the box and Ballack obliged to step up and put the ball the opposite side of United keeper Edwin van der Sar.
Chelsea saw a late scare as the Red Devils launched a blistering attack in the dying moments, but a dramatic goal line clearance from (none other than) Andrei Shevchenko saw the scoreline remain at 2 - 1 in favour of the boys from the blue side of London.
By Marcel Abboud
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