Law of averages in football - It all evens out

Chelsea, however, came back again the following year in the semi-final against Barcelona, where again, a turn of events denied them a deserved place in the finals. The Norwegian referee, Tony Ovrebo, besides several other unfair decisions, waved away a host of stone wall penalty appeals from Chelsea that night.

Chelsea’s rage exploded when Andrés Iniesta’s goal, deep in injury time, edged them out of the 2009 Champions League semi-final on the away-goals rule at Stamford Bridge. Several Chelsea players, most of them all Didier Drogba, confronted the referee after the final whistle, which earned him a six match ban from UEFA.

In 2012, Chelsea and Dider Drogba finally achieved the holy grail. Defying all odds, that included another semi final tie with Barcelona which they saw out with ten men at Camp Nou, they reached the finals again. After being outplayed for most of the match by Bayern Munich, who deservedly led by a goal until the final 5 minutes, Didier Drogba, inevitably, rose above all from a corner to equalize in the final three minutes. Munich missed a penalty in the extra time and then lost out in the penalty shoot-out. There are no prizes for guessing as to who scored the final winning penalty for Chelsea.. They call it, the law of averages – it all evens out.

4) Manchester United (those three minutes in 1999 and 2012)

“Football, Bloody hell”, said Sir Alex Ferguson when Manchester United lifted the 1999 European Cup at Camp Nou after beating Bayern Munich in the most dramatic fashion ever. Two injury time goals from United substitutes turned the 1-0 deficit into 1-2 victory, and thereby, sending its own fans into a delirium, and Munich fans into a state of complete shock. No one had ever witnessed a u-turn of emotions in such a short span of time at such a huge event.

13 years on from that dramatic night at Camp Nou, who would have thought that this could be repeated again, and this time, in Manchester, against Manchester United. Manchester City was playing their last game of the season at their home knowing that a victory will win them their first league title in 44 years. Standing in their way was QPR, who were fighting relegation, and were considered roll overs. Against all odds, QPR were in the lead 1-2 until the 90th minute. At the same time, United had won their corresponding fixture and were Champions at that moment. Manchester City, however, had different ideas.

Edin Dzeko equalised for City in the 91st minute and raised the anticipation amongst the City fans, and then came the moment of the year. Sergio Aguero, with seconds remaining, received the ball inside the QPR penalty area and slotted the ball into the back of the net after beating a defender. The roof of the Etihad stadium must have been raised when Sergio Aguero hurtled down the ground swinging Manchester United hearts around his head. History repeats – a complete u-turn of emotions in such a short span of time at such a huge event, but this time, it was Manchester United fans at the receiving end. They call it, the law of averages – it all evens out.