Greatest finishes....

[gibby_03]

What's the best, and/or most dramatic finish to a match that you've ever seen? Two that immediately come to mind on the world stage are Manchester United's two stoppage-time goals to up-end Bayern Munich 2-1 and win the Champions' League in '99. And France scoring DEEP into stoppage-time to force sudden death against Italy, and then Trezuguet scoring the golden goal to steal the Euro in 2000. Another on a regional basis I can think of would be a game in the Brasilian Champions Cup in the last year between Vasco and Miniero I believe. 3-2 Vasco in the 90th minute, penalty kick awarded to Miniero. Guilherme is stopped by the keeper, one-time rebound volley is stopped as well, but the third shot is chipped over and in for the goal. Where the hell was the defense? Poor goal keeper.

What's yours? They don't have to be famous ones, they can be local games, college, semi-pro, high school, U-17, doesn't matter...
Appriciate it...

[michaec]

Easy. Liverpool vs Arsenal at Anfield 1989.

Last game of the season, Arsenal need to win by two clear goals to win the championship.

Michael Thomas scores in the last minute to clinch the title away at our biggest rivals.

There are lots of little details that went on through the match that made it even better to us Arsenal fans, but to have the top two teams playing each other in the last game of the season to decide the championship is the best ever climax to a season. After the long hard slog from February to May and it all to come down to one match is something special.

[thepremierleague]

Newcastle Troyes Intertoto cup final.

Newcastle 4-1 down at home, everyone is leaving.

With 20 mins left, they score 3 to make it 4-4. They almost score the winner but Troyes go through on away goals.

[scouseratheart]

Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal, 2001 FA cup final

"one-nil down, two-one up
St. Michael won the cup..."

[gibby_03]

scous, that's a good choice. I remember seeing the highlights, and after Owen's winner, the announcer yelled, "The boy is a genius!"

Great call on a great finish.

another from MLS

Cup final in Columbus last year, Quakes beat Galaxy on a peach of a golden goal by DeWayne DeRosario. The only time I can honestly say Jack Edwards made a memorable call legit:

"DeRosario wants to go right at Califf, the shot..scores! The Quakes win the Cup! The Quakes win the Cup! DeRosario, a golden goal!"

[Real Ray]

1986 Qtr. between France and Brasil was one of those wild finishes. Zico missing the PK in regulation. Then that no-call in extra time when a French player was brought down by the Brasilian keeper on a breakaway. Then in the shootout, Socrates missed and right after Platini boots it way into the stands.

And when France finally closed the deal, Motson's call:

"Are we going to see the wheel turn full circle after Seville...WE ARE!

[Slash/ED]

Carlisle's survival was the best moment I've ever experienced as a neutrul watching a match, everything about it.

The story was, Carlisle and another team we're fighting to stay in division three and it was going to the last game of the season.

Now, before this, Carlisle had an injury crisis with their keepers and as such we're given special permission by the FA to sign a keeper on loan three weeks after the English transfer deadline had passed, the man never knew what impact he would make, Jimmy Glass. IIRC the other team down there we're none to pleased but decided not to persue the matter, afterall he was only a keeper....

Now, the other team (Can't remember who's) game finished, they got the result they needed should things go their way, it was now 5 minutes into injury time in the Carlisle game, they we're safe and Carlisle we're down. I remember sky had a live camera at the match, there was a huge pitch invasion, the champaign had been opened, the chairman was making a speech, the players we're on the fans backs, you'd of sworn they'd just won the champions league, thatt's how much it meant to them, or how much it would have meant to them.....

Back in Carlisle it's now the 6th minute of injury time, Carlisle need a goal or they're down, as far as the other team is concerned, as seen by the celebrations, this wasn't happening. Deep into the 6th minute Carlisle get a corner, it's floated in nicely, met by the head of Doobie, excellent header, surley a goal, no! the keeper pulls off an absolute miracle of a save, the Carlisle fans for a few split seconds we're thinking that's it, let's get used to live in the confrence.

But despite the keepers excellent save he fails to keep hold of the effort, the ball falls at the feet of Jimmy Glass, the goalkeeper who has snuck into the box unmarked, nobody noticed him. The ball landed near him, he stuck out a toe and stuck the ball into the back of the net, the man signed three weeks after deadline day to solve a goalkeeper injury crisis suddenly became the scorer of the most important goal in Carlisle history, suddenly there is euphoria, the final whistle is blown and the crowd invade the pitch. The camera goes back to the other match, there are thosands of bodies lying still in the middle of the pitch, it looked like a graveyard, the impossible had happend and Carlisle we're safe, they we're going down, and worst of all the keeper who they thought never should have signed was the man who sent them down.

I'm probably rubbish at desribing this but anybody who witness this event will never forget it and I doubt it will ever be surpassed.

[SoccerScout]

>>between Vasco and Miniero I believe. 3-2 Vasco in the 90th minute, penalty kick awarded to Miniero.>>

Gibby, I dont wanna nit pick but in respect to the traditional club that Atletico Mineiro is I just wanted to correct you. They are not known as Mineiro (thats where they are from, the State of Minas Gerais, locals are known as Mineiros). They are know as Atletico first and on occasion Atletico Mineiro, but never just Mineiro. Their nickname is GALO as in the translated "Rooster". Its also MinEIro and not MinIEro. Ok now Im nitpicking!

[SoccerScout]

Greatest Finish EVER ....

1976 Brazilian Championship Semifinals.

Inter x Atletico Mineiro

45m.30s into the 2nd half 1x1 tie and Inter needs the win to make it to the final.

Legendary Chilean defender Figueroa gives one last long pass towards the Box, where legends Dario, Falcao and Escurinho go on to touch the ball back and forth 5 to 7 times using feet and head without the ball ever hitting the ground putting Falcao in front of the goal where he slams it it. The goal put Inter in the finals which they would win and in the next years Libertadores.

I'm looking for the video of it, in the meantime here is the Audio from the radio of it :

http://www.paginacolorada.hpg.ig.com.br/Brasil76a.ram

[Don Homer]

Man City v Gillingham in 1999.

Play-off to be in the English First Division the following season.

Gillingham go 2-0 up in the 86th minute, before City get one back on 88 minutes, equalise in injury time and gain promotion by winning 3-1 on penalty kicks.

Half their fans left after the second goal for Gillingham and so missed one of the greatest moments in Man City's history. Take heed!

[blech]

ManU-B.Munich in 1999 definitely ranks up there.

I also loved the France-Germany finish in the 1982 semis. After the game ended 1-1 (following an incredible non-call after the German goalie Shumacher flattened a French player in the box), the teams went to two 15-minute overtime periods (not sudden death). France jumped out to a 3-1 lead, only to have the Germans fight back to tie it up 3-3. Germany then went on to win on penalty kicks (I believe I also read or heard that this was the first World Cup penalty kick shootout ever). In any event, a true classic.

[Real Ray]

An MLS finish I saw last year, was a MetroStars-DC United match in May. Into the 78 minute it's 2-0 DC and then:

78 min: Mathis
88 min: Faria
90 Min: Villegas

I can't find the picture I took of the supporters in 101, but it's one of my favorite pictures-it looks like an Italian curva. Regular season matches don't rate with some of the big championship matches, but I'm going to remember this one for years to come.

[evilcrossbar]

Speaking of Atletico Mineiro - I remember the Copa CONMEBOL some years ago in which Rosario Central lost the first leg to Atletico 4-0 in Belo Horizonte.

The return leg played in front of a packed house in Rosario saw Central score 4 and go on to win the cup on penalties.



The best game I can remember was the classic CL match in the 2001 (I think) season. PSG v. Deportivo La Coruña in the Riazor last match day in the 2nd group stage. Which ever team won went through.

With 30 minutes to go and the score 3-0 in favor of PSG, Depor won the game 4-3 with the final goal coming in stoppage time.

I believe that's the greatest comeback in the history of the Champion's League/ Champion's Cup.

[usscouse]

Originally posted by michaec
Easy. Liverpool vs Arsenal at Anfield 1989.

Last game of the season, Arsenal need to win by two clear goals to win the championship.

Michael Thomas scores in the last minute to clinch the title away at our biggest rivals.

There are lots of little details that went on through the match that made it even better to us Arsenal fans, but to have the top two teams playing each other in the last game of the season to decide the championship is the best ever climax to a season. After the long hard slog from February to May and it all to come down to one match is something special.

Gooner barstids...! :)

[usscouse]

Originally posted by gibby_03
scous, that's a good choice. I remember seeing the highlights, and after Owen's winner, the announcer yelled, "The boy is a genius!"

Great call on a great finish.

another from MLS

Cup final in Columbus last year, Quakes beat Galaxy on a peach of a golden goal by DeWayne DeRosario. The only time I can honestly say Jack Edwards made a memorable call legit:

"DeRosario wants to go right at Califf, the shot..scores! The Quakes win the Cup! The Quakes win the Cup! DeRosario, a golden goal!"
I didn't see the match Gibby but it had to be good.

It also had to be a historic occasion if Edwards got it right..!

[Barca_Fan2003]

Zidane's finish in the 2002 Champ's League wasn't shabby. My favorite is Rivaldo's last goal of his hat trick against Valencia in 2000 (I believe) to take Barca to 4th place and into the Champ's League.

[lion]

Originally posted by Barca_Fan2003
Zidane's finish in the 2002 Champ's League wasn't shabby. My favorite is Rivaldo's last goal of his hat trick against Valencia in 2000 (I believe) to take Barca to 4th place and into the Champ's League.


"Finish" here means the finishing of a game -- not how a player finishes a move/movement.

Anyway, my picks will be the 1999 CL final classic between Man U and Bayern and the 1982 semifinal between the Frogs and the Krauts.

[eric515]

Originally posted by lion


...the 1982 semifinal between the Frogs and the Krauts.

Well, at least we know you're not biased!! :)

I haven't seen alot of these games you speak of...my recent vote has to go to Ireland-Germany in the 2002 WC, just for the sheer fact that Keane's strike was so brilliant, and one of the only times Kahn was made to look foolish in this Cup. A stoppage time goal to steal a point from the eventual runners up!

[Peakite]

Originally posted by Slash/ED

I'm probably rubbish at desribing this but anybody who witness this event will never forget it and I doubt it will ever be surpassed.
I remember that very well. Means more than most of the better known close finishes to those involved. Unfortunately we'd helped set it up the week before though. Losing to Scarborough helped keep them in with a shout of staying up (and put in in their hands), together with costing us a playoff spot.

[Spartak]

I'm surprised no one has said Spain-Yugoslavia from Euro 2000.

It was a great game without the finish but the finish topped it all off. Spain is down 3-2 going into the 90th minute, I believe, and they need to win to go through to the next round. Norway and Slovenia just finished 0-0 so the Norwegians are celebrating because they figure there is no way Spain is going to come back and beat Yugoslavia. But a dubious penalty on Abelardo is called and Mendieta steps up and converts the PK. And then deep into stoppage time Guardiola from the midfiled line floats a ball into the box. Urzaiz heads the ball down to Alfonso who left foots it into the back of the net. Everyone went crazy on the Spanish side. They go back to the Norway game and you see the Norwegians absolutley stunned. They can't believe what happened. But what goes around comes around. Norway knocked out Morocco in a similar situation in the '98 WC.