Greatest game of all time?
Forget the billions of viewers who tuned in to watch the return of the eagerly anticipated GAME OF THRONES season 8 opener (great watch!!!) this past week. The real drama unfolded on Wednesday evening at the etihad stadium in the champions league quarter final match between favourites Manchester City and Tottenham.
I have never seen anything quite like it in my entire life. Spurs went into the game with an aggregate advantage of 1-0 having beaten City in the first leg of the tie at home. The 2nd leg was viewed by many as a game set to be dominated and won by City. However, what we got was the total opposite. The opening felt like a game of basketball with both teams unleashing attacking prowess.
The action was non stop and that was just the first 3 minutes of the game. Raheem Sterling opened up the scoring with a beautifully taken goal in the 4th minute sending the etihad faithful into euphoria (City fans were full jubilation). I thought it was going to be another lackluster gutless performance from Spurs but boy was I wrong. Spurs did the total opposite and attacked City like a team possessed.
Their efforts were rewarded when Son leveled in the 7th minute before putting Tottenham ahead with an absolute peach of a goal in the 10th minute (nothing the City keeper could do about the finish). Before Spurs could blink they were picking the ball out of their own net thanks to Bernado Silva’s deflected effort which eased past Lloris in the 11th minute. That’s 4 goals in 11 incredible minutes jam packed action. City would not allow Spurs to settle into the game and clearly dominated possession.
City’s player of the moment (Sterling), stepped up to the plate again and slotted in at the far post to give Guardiola’s men a 3-2 lead on the night. At this point Spurs would still go through. A night at the etihad wouldn’t be complete without an Aguero goal and the Argentine did just that in the 59th minute. After great work from De Bruyne who provided the assist, Aguero hit the ball with venom to put City up 4-2 and closer to the semi-final. At this point you’re thinking the flood gates will open and City will run through Spurs.
However, Spurs showed great resilience and pegged back in the 73rd minute with a Llorente goal from a set piece (even I was chanting his name, trust me I really don’t RATE him). The drama wasn’t over yet as Sterling found the net in the last minute of injury time before the goal was disallowed thanks to VAR which meant Spurs go through to the semi-finals 4-4 on the away goals rule. I am pretty certain someone suffered an heart-attack because that was just too much tension for one to handle.
The contrast was amazing!! Pep running down the sideline jumping in the air one minute, and then head in hands the next. Pochettino hand in head one minute then hugging and celebrating with players the next. Even the home fans were silent when the VAR ruling was upheld. It truly was a beautiful match and possibly the best champions league game if not of all time, then definitely in recent years. The beautiful game delivered a beautiful story……..well done boys!!!!
Champions League Semifinals
Spurs V Ajax
Barcelona V Liverpool
Spurs celebrate epic victory!!!
Baller Chats 