Here is a video clip of Daniel Agger's goal which cancelled out Joe Cole's winner from the 1st leg of the Champion's League semi-final clash between Liverpool and Chelsea.
The goal was brought about after Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was fouled by Joe Cole outside the penalty box.
Gerrard fooled the Chelsea defence by appearing to run up for a crack at the near post only to roll the ball into the path of the unmarked Daniel Agger for the defender to prod the ball home.
The might Reds went onto win 4 - 1 on penalties to book a place in the final of the Champion's League for the second time in three years.
I wonder what Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be doing now on the night May 23rd?
Yes, you heard it right, Liverpool is going to the Champions League final once again! The tickets to Athens have just been booked and it's going to be the Reds! No Blues!
This is perhaps the most important match of the season so far as i have mentioned and the result couldn't have gone any better! Somehow it felt like we have just won the trophy! Guess it's probably because everyone's been wary about our chances in getting through this time after down one goal deficit in aggregate.
The match started well, and Rafa surprised everyone again (well, at least i am!) with his starting lineup, with Zenden starting his 3rd consecutive match on the left wing. Alonso is dropped to allow Gerrard playing at the middle alongside Mascherano, and Pennant on right wing. The solid Finnan returned to his right back position, and that's the only change in the defensive line from the first leg's team. Crouch upfront with Kuyt, to all Liverpudlians' delight.
Once again, the victorious Reds!
Liverpool went on initiative from the start, and at one point around 20 minutes the possession reads Liverpool 71% to Chelsea's 29%. Pushing for that one goal to put us back into equation is important and at 22nd minute we got what we wanted! Agger's strike from Gerrard's free kick stunned Chelsea's defense and the ball in the net send the crowd into frenzy. From then on, we should be pushing for more, but Chelsea fight back. The latter part of the first half saw Chelsea bombarding their way to get the advantage goal, but we held on.
Second half was pretty much an evenly fought game, although Chelsea put more pressure on us. But we were the ones that came closest when Crouch's header somehow put away to safety by Cech and Kuyt's header hit the crossbar! Pennant also could have scored from Terry's clearance mistake, but was too slow to hit the ball. And Chelsea were always dangerous with their free kicks, but we persevere and both teams enter extra time. The only real chance in extra time was when Kuyt's free inside the penalty box but could only hit it straight at Cech and being parried away.
So here it is, we are in another intense penalty shootout.
To be honest, i was a bit shocked when i saw Zenden came on as the first penalty taker. But i guess it all makes a bit sense that maybe Rafa had always been preparing him for this kind of moment. He was the utility player, and calm head is so important in taking penalties. He didn't fail Rafa. The rest of the story is on the video above, and Reina has proven his heroics last year at FA Cup final wasn't pure luck. We are in for another Champions League final!
Overall, the team played well. Zenden was a bit non-existent, he should be taken out if not for him having a better defensive ability compared to Gonzalez, and also the experience in big matches. Pennant was decent and his cross to Crouch was superb. I think it's quite surprising when he is taken out instead of Zenden at that moment. Gerrard put an inspirational display where he drives around and some good passings. Kuyt was very hardworking, and Mascherano was magnificient! I am very impressed by his defensive display, no nonsense and less complains. I am certain we will see him very often next season.
Defensively, all four backs were tough and solid. Agger's goal pretty much cancelled out his first leg's mistake in allowing Drogba's cross to Joe Cole which resulted the goal. And today he is in no mood to be dragged around by Drogba as easily as the first leg. Credit to Chelsea for keep pushing until the end, but we don't really appreciate how players such as Mikel Obi and Drogba keep going down easily. Essien did an excellent job playing out of position. Mourinho is again controversial with his comments that Chelsea were the best team and the only ones who wants to win. That is not true considering we have more shot on goals, although they did push very hard through the end of the match.
I am in no mood to be pissed by his comments, whatever they said, we are in the final. We are in for another memorable Champions League final, and that is all that matters. Good luck to them in the Premier League race and fighting for the prestigious FA Cup. It's a good day, great day where everything is about the colour red. Excellent job everyone, well done!
Here is the match highlight for the recent charity match between Manchester United and a European select side.
The match highlight contains all 7 goals from the Red Devil's 4-3 win and includes Portugese winger Cristiano Ronaldo's amazing free-kick (how on earth does he get the ball to swerve from left to right with the inside of his foot?!).
A star-studded 22-man European squad will face English Premier League leaders Manchester United in a charity match on Tuesday evening (GMT) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the European Union and of Manchester United becoming the first English side to play in UEFA's European club competition.
Liverpool players Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, Barcelona captain Carlos Puyol and many of the Italian World Cup-winning squad will take part in the match as well as three Brazilian stars - Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Juninho - taking part as 'guests'.
Former Manchester United player David Beckham has had to withdraw from the European select-side due to injury, but will return to his old stomping ground to watch the game from the stands.
Retired France legend Zinedine Zidane has turned down the opportunity to take to the pitch for the select-side - whether or not Italian Marco Materazzi's presence in the squad had anything to do with his decision, we do not know.
'Zizou' ended his career with a red card after thrusting his head into Materazzi's chest in the World Cup final of 2006.
The full Europe XI squad are as follows:
Goalkeepers: Oliver Kahn, Grégory Coupet, Iker Casillas. Defenders: Paolo Maldini, Jamie Carragher, Eric Abidal, Lilan Thuram, Carles Puyol, Marco Materazzi, Fabio Grosso. Midfielders: Gianluca Zambrotta, Steven Gerrard, Juninho Pernambucano, Florent Malouda, Luis Miguel, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo. Strikers: Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Alessandro Mancini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrik Larsson.
Beckham celebrates goal with Ruud Van Nistelrooy *Image taken from realmadrid.com*
Former England captain David Beckham made a triumphant return to the starting line-up for Real Madrid when he scored the first goal for his side with a trademark free-kick in his team's come from behind win against Real Sociedad.
Golden balls had been sidelined for a month by Real boss Fabio Capello following his announcement that he would join MLS side LA Galaxy at the end of the season, but was back in the team after a string of losses for the Spanish giants.
Eight minutes before halftime, Beckham cancelled out Sociedad's early lead with a trademark free kick before being mobbed by his ecstatic team-mates, many of which have championed his return after Capello had vowed to make Becks sit out the rest of the season before his switch to the US.
'A gift from Beckham to Capello,' was Spanish newspaper El Pais's description of the goal, while most papers were agreed that the victory had saved the manager Capello from the sack after a poor run of results.
Beck's former Manchester United team-mate Ruud Van Nistelrooy sealed the win for Real with a header in the second half.
What a way to return to the starting line-up and shut up a few critics along the way!
Brazilian striker and three-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo has joined Italian Serie A giants AC Milan from Real Madrid for Ł4.95m on an 18-month contract.
Ronaldo had fallen out of favour this season at Real following the arrival of new boss Fabio Capello and has started only three league games this season. He has also faced strong criticism over the last two seasons for being overweight and seemingly lacking motivation.
In a distinguished footballing career, the striker has won two World Cups with Brazil and set a record for goals scored in World Cups in Germany last year.
The departure of Ronaldo and David Beckham's imminent move to the US sparks the end of the Galactico era at Real Madrid.
England and Newcastle striker Michael Owen has successfully undergone a second surgery on his ruptured cruciate knee ligament suffered at the World Cup in July.
Although he is still set to miss most, if not all, of this season, he can now begin his rehabilitation after being operated on by the famous knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman in America.
After joining Newcastle United from Spanish giants Real Madrid at the start of season 05/06, Owen managed only 10 starts before breaking a metatarsal which forced him out until shortly before the World Cup.
Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder said, "As far as Michael is concerned, he can now start to focus on playing again.
'It's going to be a long haul but he can start to focus on that.
'And I look forward to the day when I can write his name on a Newcastle United teamsheet.'
Personally, I felt that prior to his latest injury, Owen had already lost that explosive pace and acceleration that made him a teenage superstar at Liverpool and the 1998 World Cup. Perhaps this is due to his catalogue of ham-string related issues/injuries and it remains to be seen whether he will ever return to top form after such a nasty injury.
Barca have won their second consecutive Spanish League title by beating close city rivals Espanyol 2 - 0 at the Nou Camp.
The three players that are expected to leave the club in the off-season including Swedish ace Henrik Larsson, received a huge standing ovation from the home fans in the last home game of the season.
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