25th of May, 2005, Ataturk Olympic Stadium Istanbul
Liverpool and AC Milan played each other in 2004/2005’s Champions League final, after Liverpool knocking out Chelsea 1-0 on aggregate (was it a goal?) and AC Milan knocking out PSV Eindhoven 3-3 on away goals.
AC Milan starts off very well with Maldini scoring a cracking volley in the first minute, then Crespo adds another two in the first half which results in 3-0 half-time score for AC Milan, match over. Take a special look at Crespo’s second, brilliant touch and pass by Kaka and superb finishing by Crespo. The perfect goal, haven’t seen much better ones. Let’s hope Kaka will soon find this kind of form again, which made him the best player in the world with ease at that time.
Steven Gerrard gives Liverpool a glimmer of hope in the second half by scoring a cracking header pretty soon in the 2nd half. 3-1. Only two minutes later Smicer scores the 3-2 with a shot from distance (wasn’t it a goal from Baros?) and all of a sudden Liverpool are back in the game.
If that isn’t enough Liverpool get awarded a penalty in the 60th minute and even though Xabi Alonso misses it he manages to make the equaliser in the rebound. Liverpool are back from 3-0 down in a space of only 6(!) minutes time. After that AC Milan still gets some good chances to score the winner but don’t score which means extra-time is on its way.
Shevchenko misses two great, great chances just before the final whistle which means the match is going down to penalties. Liverpool wins and Jerzy Dudek is the hero by saving a few and ‘dancing’ on the line Bruce Grobbelaar style.
AC Milan’s brilliant 3-0
The Soapbox X 