Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrates scoring the second goal for Manchester United×Proofread In sport, the joy of winning is inevitably accompanied by the agony of (someone else’s) defeat. Very few have it in them to take the great Rudyard Kipling’s words to heart and treat triumph and disaster just the same, especially when triumph is taken away after there is after a very real hope of success.For, as the incomparable John Cleese stated in the classic British comedy ‘Clockwise’ - “It's not the despair, Laura. I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't stand.”Here’s a look at ten goals, goals that were last minute winners in the Champions League, Premiership title deciders, La Liga relegation deciders, goals that have thrown nations out of the World Cup; goals that have caused unimaginable heartbreak to opposition fans.Author’s note – The list is by no means definitive and is put in no particular order
#1 Ole Gunnar Solskjr Manchester United 2: 1 Bayern Munich
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The 1999 Champions League final – Bayern Munich vs. Manchester United - the game that would capture the world’s imagination and set impossible standards for future Champions League finals to follow. We all know what happened – United had come into the game without the suspended Paul Scholes and Roy Keane, and their makeshift midfield had been dominated all game long by a strong Munich outfit.
The Bavarians led for the vast majority of the game after Mario Basler’s free-kick took a deflection en route to beating Peter Schmeichel in the United goal, and going into injury time, they never seemed likely to relinquish the lead. Bayern were going to be European Champions after twenty-three long years, and deservedly so.
Three minutes, two David Beckham corners, and two instinctive–poachers finishes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær later, that dream lay shattered to bits. It is when we listen to the game with German commentary instead of the usual exuberant English, that we truly grasp just how traumatic it was for the Bavarian club and its fans.
For those who can’t watch the video – “We are in the final few minutes. Not many injuries in the second half, but Italian referees seem to add more time when it’s a good game”. “Another Corner… Maybe the last chance for Manchester United, or the last dangerous moment for Bayern.” As the corner is swung in - “Giggggs! This can’t be real! Teddy Sheringham… it just can’t be true”
As he tries to grasp the significance of the goal – “Bayern had their hands on the trophy… I don’t believe it” *long pause*“Another corner. Somehow we‘re into the 93rd minute. Only Collina (the ref) knows where the extra time has come from” . Then, the most underwhelming commentary of a last minute cup winner you will ever hear – “That’s it…” *long pause* “...Solskjær..” – his words giving voice to the utter heartrbreak of the Bayern fans.
#2 Andrs Iniesta - Barcelona 1: 1 Chelsea
Chelsea vs Barcelona is a rivalry that has defined the Champions League of the late 2000’s like no other. In the first leg of their tempestuous 2008-09 semifinal clash, Chelsea played well to hold a high-flying Barcelona side to a goalless draw.
Michael Essien welcomed the Catalans to Stamford Bridge with an absolute screamer of a goal early in the return fixture and as the match wore on, the referee, Tom Henning Øvrebø, went about exacerbating an already tense fixture with some borderline shady decisions - Chelsea were denied four penalty claims (all of them in the “have seen them given” category) while Barcelona were reduced to ten men after Eric Abidal was dubiously sent off in the 66th minute.
But, as the final whistle neared, it looked all settled; a goal - and a man - down, Barça looked well and truly down and out. Stamford Bridge was bouncing. A second consecutive Champions League final looked imminent, and the Londoners were already gleefully looking forward to avenging their previous year’s loss to Manchester United.
Andrés Iniesta though had other ideas. Receiving a pass on the edge of the penalty area from Lionel Messi, the great Spaniard calmly, almost lazily, flicked the ball in an arc that took it agonisingly wide of Petr ech’s outstretched hand, and into the top right corner.
The section holding the few Catalans who had made the long journey erupted in incredulous joy. The majority of the Bridge though looked like they had seen the Devil himself.
The timing of the goal, the perceived injustices doled out by the referee through the match - the emotions were simply too much to handle. While the Chelsea players harangued the referee, the fans just seemed too heartbroken to move a muscle.
#3 Jaffar Omran Salman - Iraq 2:2 Japan
Back when the World Cup entertained only two teams from Asia, the representatives of the planet’s largest continent to USA ’94 were to be selected from one final group comprised of Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
Going into the final round of matches, Japan led the Saudis on goal difference (both on 5 points apiece) while South Korea, Iran and Iran were all on 4. All five teams still had a statistical chance to make it through.
For the Japan, the equation was pretty simple. Beat Iraq; and they were through. Draw; and they would have to bank on either South Korea (playing their neighbours) or Saudi (playing Iran) not winning their matches. Kazayoshi Miura, Japan’s first true blue footballing superstar, eased any nerves among the Japanese faithful when he scored early on; the only goal of an entertaining first half. The Iraqi captain, Ahmed Radhi, equalised soon after the break to set up a tense second period, but Matashi Nakayama restored the Japanese lead in the 80th minute and it seemed like they had done enough.
As the match entered stoppage time – results from the other, already completed fixtures filtered through – the Saudis had won 4-3, and the South Koreans won 3-0. Japan now needed to hold on. Iraq however, hadn’t given up hope just yet. Playing for pride, they launched one final attack, and with just ten seconds of stoppage time to go, Jaffar Omran Salman rose powerfully to head home an equaliser.
Having led the group all through the two weeks, the Japanese had been undone at the very last minute of the campaign by Salman’s bullet header. The pain inflicted by that loss affected the Japanese psyche so much that, to this day, neither the fans nor the players have ever truly gotten over it. For them, that night will always be “Dha no higeki”, “the Agony of Doha”.
#4 Patrik Andersson Bayern Munich 1: 1 Hamburger SV
As has become such a common sight in recent years, Bayern Munich sat at the top of the Bundesliga table as they entered the final round of matches of the 2000-01 season. Unlike recent years though, the guys in second were still in with a shout. Trailing by only three points, and with a superior goal difference, Schalke 04 needed a win, and a Bayern defeat against Hamburger SV, to win the Bundesliga crown.
Schalke did their part, winning a thrillingly high-octane encounter with Unterhaching, 5-3, while over in the Volksparkstadion, HSV were giving it a real good go. In the 90th minute, all that Hamburg pressure, and Schalke prayers (they had kept chanting “HSV! HSV! HSV!” during their match!) paid off when HSV striker Sergej Barbarez turned in a Marek Heinz cross to make it HSV 1, Bayern 0.
Back in Gelsenkirchen, the whistle had blown one last time, and as news of HSV’s last minute goal filtered through, the Schalke fans streamed onto the pitch, celebrating their first league title in 58 years.
In Hamburg though, there were still a couple of minutes to go. While Schalke celebrated, Stefan Effenberg launched one final ball to Paulo Sergio up front. The pass, though, got picked off by Tomas Ujfalusi, and the danger to Hamburg seemed to have ceased.
Just then, the goalkeeper, Matthias Schober, had a fit of utter madness. Schober - on loan from (of all clubs) Schalke - inexplicably picked the backpass up. From the resulting indirect free-kick, Patrik Larsson would hammer in a thunderbolt of a shot that would gain Bayern the draw, and with it the Bundesliga title.
At the Parkstadion, the happiness that had engulfed the stadium for just a few moments evaporated into thin air. With the last kick of the season, Patrik Andersson had knocked the stuffing out of everyone in Gelsenkirchen.
#5 Paolo Rossi Italy 3: 2 Brazil
After punching and kicking their way through the two World Cups in the seventies, Brazil had gone from purveyors of “the Beautiful Game” to pantomime villains who were known more for their thuggery than their artistry. Then along came the Class of ’82.
With Zico, Falcão, Sócrates, Toninho and Éder combining to form arguably the greatest midfield of all time, Telê Santana and his band of merry men put the “Beautiful” back in “the Beautiful Game”. They had waltzed through the first group stages, before thrashing their great rivals, Argentina 3-1 in the first of their two second group stage matches.
Their opponents in the final game would Italy, who despite stil reeling from the ‘Totonero’ match-fixing affair domestically, had played decently through the tournament to set up this must win fixture (for them) against the Brazilians.
As the teams walked out, the Estadi de Sarrià was a sea of yellow. Everyone expected - and wanted – Brazil to win. Paolo Rossi, though, didn’t quite feel the same way about it. The (formerly disgraced) Italian striker gave them the lead early on, before the great Doctor Socrates pulled one back for A Seleção just a few minutes later. Brazil soon established their dominance in the middle of the park.
Italy though, playing on the counter, took the lead once again through a wonderful Rossi strike. That lead remained till Falcao equalised with an even better shot in the 68th minute. All the South Americans had to do now was hold on for twenty odd minutes.
That just wasn’t the way Santana’s men did it though and as Brazil continued to attack, up stepped Rossi, who with a typical poacher’s finish, scored his third, and the game’s final, goal.
As wave after wave of Brazilian attack ended futilely in the face of an unmoving Italian defence, the truth was starting to sink in. Paulo Rossi had just made sure that the everyone’s favourite team was going to be thrown out of the World Cup. The silence in the stadium said it all.
Barcelona wept. Brazil wept.The world wept with them.
#6 Raul Tamudo: Rayo Vallecano 1: 0 Granada
Going into the final day of the 2011-12 La Liga season, Villarreal – who had finished fourth last season, and competed in the Champions League this time - were languishing in 16th on 41 points. Granada sat one point in front of them; while behind them Real Zaragoza and a free-falling Rayo Vallecano lay tied on 40 points.
In a mad-cap clash at the Coliseum Alfonso Pére, that saw 4 red cards handed out, Zaragoza beat Getafe 2-0 to assure them of safety. Over at El Madrigal, Villarreal knew they needed only a draw to stay safe, and they had managed to keep the newly crowned Europa League champions, Atlético Madrid, at bay till in the 88th minute, Radamel Falcao did what Radamel Falcao always did back then and rose to power home a thunderous header. 1-0 the game ended, Villarreal had been beaten – but they weren’t out just yet.
For, back in Madrid, Rayo were struggling in the Vallecas and with the match goalless,it looked like they were going straight back down (they had made it to the top flight that season after eight years of languishing in Segunda División).
In the first minute of injury time though, veteran striker Raul Tamudo rose to the occasion as he nodded home to give Rayo the win.The Vallecas went mad with joy – post match, Michu (the star of their season) could be seen hanging on a crossbar with some ultras – while Granada patted themselves on the back (despite losing, they were staying up).
Back in Villarreal, they had heard news of Tamudo’s last minute heroics. They couldn’t quite believe it. They applauded their players off the pitch, but returned home with their hearts broken. After 12 years spent in the top flight (where they had become a model for smaller clubs to emulate) the Yellow Submarines had finally been sunk.
#7 Troy Deeney - Watford 3: 1 Leicester City
Watford had finished the Championship regular season, just two points behind 2nd place Hull City-and they would have to battle it out in the Championship playoffs to make it back to the Premier League. Meeting them there were Leicester, who had scraped through in 6th.
Leicester won the first leg courtesy a late David Nugent goal to set up a potentially thrilling match at Vicarage Road. In the return leg, Watford’s Matej Vydra opened the scoring in the 15th minutes, before Nugent cancelled it out four minutes later. Even though Vydra scored again just past the hour mark, it looked like it would curtains for Watford (on away goals).
Deep in stoppage time what looked like a probable victory for Leicester became even more of an iron-clad certainty when they were awarded a rather soft penalty. The clock read 96:25 as Anthony Knockaert stepped up to take the kick that would surely drive the last nail in Watford’s coffin.The few who had travelled from East Midlands jumped up and down in anticipation. They were going to Wembley, and they weren’t afraid to sing about it.
Then, the unthinkable happened.
Knockaert’s weak kick was saved by Watford keeper, former Arsenal man, Manuel Almunia. The Spaniard also, incredibly, saved Knockaert’s follow-up, and in the ensuing madness, the ball was cleared up field by Ikechi Anya. Fernando Forestieri ran onto the ball and whipped in a cross into the far post, where Jonathan Hogg headed the ball down and into the path of Troy Deeney.
Deeney, running at full pelt, hammered the ball into the Leicester goal. Watford had won it. As the ball went into the net, the clock read 96:52.Watford celebrated, while the Leicester fans sat glued to their seats - their faces mirroring the “what the f**k just happened” expression of poor ol’ Anthony Knockaert. Leicester had been in a position to reach the final in all but 5 seconds of the 97 minutes played at Vicarage Road.
All but FIVE seconds.
That’s just cruel.
#8 Gary Linekar: England 3:2 Cameroon
For most people, the one enduring image from Italia ’90 would be that of 38-year old Roger Milla shaking his hips at the corner flag, doing his trademark little jig, after scoring yet another goal. Inspired by Milla’s late goals and a wonderful attack-minded setup, Cameroon had become the first African team to advance to the quarterfinals of a World Cup. Meeting them there were a Paul Gascoigne-inspired England.
The match started with the Indomitable Lions dominating proceedings, but David Platt hit them with a sucker punch when he buried a header from a perfectly delivered Stuart Pierce cross. As ever, Milla had been kept on the bench, and his introduction in the second half reinvigorated his teammates.
On the hour mark, he was tripped in the box, and Emmanuel Kunde stepped up to level the scores. By then, Cameroon had put England under the cosh, and the relentless pressure told when Milla (him, again) slipped in a delightful return ball to fellow substitute Eugene Ekeke, who calmly chipped the advancing Peter Shilton to give Cameroon the lead.
Then, with just eight minutes left on the clock, Benjamin Massing (he of the Claudio Cannigia dismemberment attempt fame) put out a leg, over which Gary Linekar duly fell to win England a penalty. Lineker stepped up to convert the spot-kick and send the game into extra time.
Even then, Cameroon dominated but couldn’t make the most of their chances. Cruelly, predictably, Lineker was once again brought down in the box by a combination of Massing and the goalkeeper, Thomas N’Kono. The English striker duly converted again, and with the Cameroonians not having the legs to put up a fightback, the game petered out as England held on to the 3-2 lead.
The Indomitable Lions had won a million hearts with their brave, joy-filled exploits in Italy, and Gary Lineker had broken all of them with two swishes of his right boot. The San Paolo went silent (except for the ever-boisterous English fans, of course) as it reflected the mood of not just Cameroonians, but neutral football lovers the world over.
#9 Sergio Aguero Manchester City 3: 2 Queens Park Rangers
As the last day of the 20th English Premier League season dawned, Manchester United trailed their “nosy neighbours” only on goal difference. With City meeting bottom-feeders QPR and United travelling to an always tricky fixture at Sunderland, the Citizens were confident they could walk away with their first league title since 1968.
Pablo Zabaleta scored (his first goal of the season) to put City ahead late in the first half. QPR though, had no intention of rolling over, and within three minutes of the restart, Djibril Cisse shattered the happy tranquility of the City crowd by pulling Rangers level.
Then, Joey Barton did what he has always done – lose his rag - this time elbowing Carlos Tevez and was duly sent off. QPR though, despite being a man short, looked much more likely to break the deadlock, and so it proved when Jamie McKay headed home in the 66th minute. An early Wayne Rooney goal had given United the lead at the Wearside while back, and they hadn’t look like they were going to relinquish it anytime soon. City,then, needed to win.
They piled on the pressure on 10-man Rangers, and in the 91st minute Edin Dzeko smashed home a header to drag City back into the game. We’ll let the inimitable Martin Tyler take it from here - “It’s finished at Sunderland, Manchester United have done all they can. That Rooney goal was enough for all three points”
As the ball got launched into the mixer one last time, “Manchester City are still alive here. Balotelliiiii…. Aguerooooooooooooooooooooooo”. Running onto a wonderful ball from Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero had pulled off an astonishing piece of finishing to win the game – and with it City’s long awaited, and much deserved title. The United fans, who had been celebrating yet another triumph just 13 seconds previously, their faces giving new meaning to Fergie’s immortal phrase - “Football? Bloody Hell”
#10 Denis Law Manchester City 1:0 Manchester United
If we were to look at the statistical or material significance of this goal, it meant nothing. It did not win, or steal away, a championship title or a cup crown. It did not relegate anyone, or take from them the chance of qualification into Europe. It wasn’t even scored late on.
If you had merely looked up the archives, this goal in no way would have stood out as a particularly “heartbreaking” one.
Which is why, football isn’t; and will never be; about just the numbers or the statistics or the records.
Denis Law, King of Stretford End, had turned up at Old Trafford that day wearing the blue of Manchester City. With United – unbelievably, even back then – languishing in the relegation zone, Law instinctively pulled off an audacious backheel to put City ahead. It was only after scoring that the though stuck him – his goal had relegated his beloved United (it hadn’t – results elsewhere meant United were doomed to fail, regardless of the result here – but he didn’t know that).
The United fans reacted to the goal in the most reprehensible manner – invading the pitch and creating a massive ruckus – but it was Law’s reaction that perfectly epitomised the heart break that is caused when someone scores (what at that time, looked like) an all important goal against your team – even if it was you who scored it.
