Liverpool vs AC Milan: Champions League final, May 2005
This game is easily one of the greatest football games of all time. The ingredients for the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ were perfect. Liverpool were the underdogs against the mighty Milan side that played the final. The Milan team that played the final featured players like Maldini, Nesta, Shevchenko, Kaka, Pirlo, Crespo, Cafu and many other prominent names.
The difference in quality between the two sides started to show very early in the game as Milan took the lead in the opening minute of the game through their iconic captain Paolo Maldini. Things soon went from bad to worse as Crespo added two more goals before half-time.
It all seemed to be going the wrong way for Liverpool as Harry Kewell had to be taken off in the first half because of an injury. All seemed lost for Liverpool at halftime, but eight minutes into the second half, the world witnessed one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history.
Gerrard scored the first for Liverpool after heading in a cross from John Arne Riise. The captain led from the front and urged the Liverpool faithful to get behind their team. Two minutes later, Vladamir Smicer who came on for Kewell scored a screamer to cut down the deficit to one.
Three minutes after Smicer’s goal, Gerrard was fouled in the box and Liverpool were awarded a penalty. Xabi Alonso stepped up to take the kick, but he missed. However, the rebound came back to him and he put it past a resilient Dida to draw Liverpool level at 3-3!
Milan were unable to recover from that shock and Liverpool went on to clinch their fifth Champions League final after beating the Italian club on penalties.
