Your best Football match of 2003

[reggae boy]

Hey everyone hope ya'll had a great christmas and I hope the new year will bring more good times than bad for all.

Any-way I would like for ya'll to tell me which match was your favourite match of 2003.
You can give me club or country.

GOD BLESS

[DanRod78]

Nacional of Uruguay vs Santos of Brazil in Copa Libertadores. This game ended up being 4-4

In a sensational match at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay, Nacional came from behind to draw visiting Santos 4-4 setting up a big showdown for the return leg on May 7th. Another draw in two weeks will send the series into penalties. The Brazilians twice held two-goal advantages, and Nacional never led in this goal fest. Ricardo Oliveira had two goals for Santos, bringing his total to eight thus far in the competition. That surpasses the club record of seven that Pele had forty years ago.

Five minutes in Santos were on the board through Alex's header, and led 2-0 at the break when Ricardo Oliveira scored his first goal in the 43rd minute off a pass from wunderkind Diego.

With the Brazilian champions comfortably ahead at intermission Nacional could have let the match and the round-of-16 series slip out of control. The home side pulled one back in the 56th minute when Gabriel Alvez fired past Fabio Costa, but Elano found Robinho with a cross to restore the two-goal cushion for the visitors on 64. Still, Nacional kept resurrecting themselves.

In the 71st minute Peralta took the hint from Juarez's cross and Fabio Costa was beaten for a second time. Ten minutes later Scotti had the blue and white on even terms with Santos.

But just as the comeback seemed complete for Nacional, they were given another mountain to climb three minutes later when Diego was clattered in the area. Center official Horacio Elizondo of Argentina pointed to the spot, and Ricardo Oliveira beat Munua to put Santos ahead 4-3 in the 86th minute.

Nacional threw everything they had into the attack looking for another equalizer, and the home side were rewarded by a lengthy injury time session. Fifty minutes into the second half Nacional defender Benoit rode in on a white horse from the other end of the pitch to bring Nacional on level terms.

The 4-4 draw is an advantage for Santos who will be a sure bet to win on their home turf, but the Santistas have to be shaking their heads knowing they could have had the series in the bag should they have held onto the lead. If Nacional enter Belmiro Village on May 7th and force a draw, the two clubs will separated by penalty kicks. If either side can win the match they will advance to the quarterfinals.

[fatmaradona]

I'd say the 2ng leg between Man United and Real Madrid at Old Trafford. Great match, and Man U's supporters sung their hearts out. 4-3 to United but Madrid advanced 6-5.

[Luther_Gabriel]

Originally posted by fatmaradona
I'd say the 2ng leg between Man United and Real Madrid at Old Trafford. Great match, and Man U's supporters sung their hearts out. 4-3 to United but Madrid advanced 6-5.

That is probably the most exciting match that I saw too. As well as Juventus smashing Real Madrid in the second leg of the semifinal and Manchester United's 6-2(?) victory over Newcastle. I like games with lots of goals. Although I did enjoy AC Milan's 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the second group phase with Shevchenko scoring the only goal. It was still a very good game.

[the101er]

Chelsea 2 Liverpool 1 at the end of last season. If Chelsea don't win that game, they don't get CL football, and maybe Abramovich buys Man United instead.

At the time it was billed as the 17 Million pound game as it was figured, that was the difference in revenue between CL and non-CL season. But it might have been the 500 million pound game.

[Blue Eyed Soul]

This one is easy...

The second leg of the MLS Western Conference first round playoffs...

5-2 Earthquakes win, 5-4 win on aggregate.

What a great game, what fans, what heartache, what a comeback, what a choke job!

Game/Match of the Year.

[Spartak]

Originally posted by fatmaradona
I'd say the 2ng leg between Man United and Real Madrid at Old Trafford. Great match, and Man U's supporters sung their hearts out. 4-3 to United but Madrid advanced 6-5.
Do you know what's ashame about this is that most people around the world saw this match instead of the Milan/Ajax match. The ManU/Real match was never in doubt. It had alot of goals but it had no drama whatsoever. Can you honestly say that you ever thought for one second that ManU would win? If you say no than it can't be considered a great game. Whereas, the Milan/Ajax match was a thrilling 3-2 affair with a last second goal to send Milan through and oust a very gutty Ajax side.

[BadReligion]

Juventus Vs. Real Madrid leg 2. That was a thing of beauty.

[BadReligion]

Originally posted by Spartak
Whereas, the Milan/Ajax match was a thrilling 3-2 affair with a last second goal to send Milan through and oust a very gutty Ajax side.

Another awesome match.

[Ringo]

Originally posted by USWins06
This one is easy...

The second leg of the MLS Western Conference first round playoffs...

5-2 Earthquakes win, 5-4 win on aggregate.

What a great game, what fans, what heartache, what a comeback, what a choke job!

Game/Match of the Year.

i'm biased, of course, but I second this one. I was in the front row ... my god was it electric.

[JCUnited]

Spartak,

Considering Man U lost the agg series by one goal, yeah, I thought they would come back to win it. In fact, I was very confident UNTIL the final freakin' whistle was blown and still surprised they didn't. United are an offensive team and Real had no D last year, so I am still VERY SHOCKED that Man United did not win.

And on behalf of MLS, I nominate the San Jose v. Wizards Western Conference Final game as my match of the year. Didn't have the sheer amount of goals as Quakes/Galaxy, but was the better game to me, and the San Jose crowd was just as electric. LD's golden goal in the 117th minute had me shouting at two in the morning, and I'm a DC fan. To any Euro fans out there, you really missed a great game.

[copaantl98]

Metrostars vs. DC United 3-2 OT win. Metrostars were down one player for most of the match. Metrostars ran out of subs. So Bob Bradley pulls off the craziest scheme in MLS history. For those who don't know, in MLS 3 subs are allowed and one goalie sub. Metrostars had already used up thier 3 subs. Therefore our, coach Bob, puts Lisi, who was already on the field, as goalie. Then, our 16 year-old forward, Eddie Gaven comes in to replace Lisi as goalie. As the balls goes out, Gaven quickly goes to his actual position. Jonny Walker, our goalie, goes back to his actual position. It was tied 2-2 in OT and Tim Howard came up with several spectacular saves to keep us in it. After a finger tip stop by him, a long ball is sent to Gaven on a breakaway and he scores. Gaven became the youngest player to ever score in MLS. This was like a Hollywood script.

[giggs88]

Man United vs Chelski


Forlan's last second goal.

[babytiger2001]

Originally posted by USWins06
This one is easy...

The second leg of the MLS Western Conference first round playoffs...

5-2 Earthquakes win, 5-4 win on aggregate.

What a great game, what fans, what heartache, what a comeback, what a choke job!

Game/Match of the Year.

Agreed on that. Fantastic match, indeed.

However, the rest of the playoff run for the Quakes was just as satisfying. The MLS Cup final in a way seemed a bit anticlimactic compared to the playoff wins over Kansas City and L.A., but the end result meant a lot more.

I should add, I yelled, cursed, screamed and cried after or during every game. And cried, tears of joy, especially. My wife still fails to understand that, to this day. "It's just a game," she continues to say... to which I try and convince her that it wasn't, in every case.


Now, almost three months later, and still re-living the glory via my tapes, I'm finding it really hard to separate one match from another. For me, it was the whole run as an event unto itself in its entirety that was as special as any sporting event I have ever witnessed, either from afar (as I am now) or up much closer.

[Anteater10]

there is no doubt, it has to be San Jose's 5-2 second leg victory over Galaxy. Down 4-0, they had NO chance at all. Tie the game in extra time, then win on the golden goal. That just does not happen in soccer. A team is not supposed to win when down by 4 goals. It was an amazing win and by far the most exciting game of 2003, in any league...

[Chicago1871]

Originally posted by USWins06
The second leg of the MLS Western Conference first round playoffs...

5-2 Earthquakes win, 5-4 win on aggregate.

From a league standpoint, this gets my vote, but from a team standpoint: Eastern Conference Final Chicago over NE 1-0 in OT on a Chris Armas goal.

[law5guy]

This was a very exciting match...


Thrilling 3-2 come from behind win by the USA.

And.. I was there!

[jokstein]

The Madrid Recital - it must be! It was widely hailed as the best exhibition of sexy,fluid,winning football the world over since Italy were eaten alive by mighty Brasil in WC 1970 final. Real had done something nobody has seen in a long long time......

[AFCA]

Arsenal - Ajax I guess.

[kycelt]

I would have to say the UEFA Cup final between Celtic-Porto,60,000 Celtic fans singing their hearts out,everytime Porto struck The Bhoys answered back.All in all a very good match to watch.