Everyone is aware of the beauty of football. The embroiled emotion soon followed by heartache and the intensity can be matched by no other sport. But is there anything more satisfying than watching your team scoring a last minute winner?
There have been some phenomenal last minute goals down the years with Sir Alex Ferguson's teams the master achievers, but not many have had as much importance as these five on our countdown list.
Also read: 5 Greatest Goals of All Time - that were never scored
It's time to open our vaults and countdown to the greatest last minute strikes of all-time.
#5 Andres Iniesta – Barcelona vs. Chelsea, 2009
Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta's goal vs Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in May 2009 was to become the catalyst of success for arguably the greatest team in club football.
Pep Guardiola's side took on Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final hoping for a place in the final against Manchester United in Rome. Barcelona had been held controversially to a goalless draw at the Nou Camp just a week previously, and Chelsea was quietly confident of producing one of the biggest shock results in Champions League history.
With Barcelona hoping for a precedented triple, their Champions League hopes looked slim when Michael Essien opened the scoring for Chelsea after just nine minutes. Almost 18 shots later, and with Chelsea denied numerous gilt-edged penalty chances, Barcelona continued to pursue that all-important away goal to hand them the advantage.
Without skipper Carlos Puyol through suspension, the Catalans lacked leadership at times until one man decided to end the contest in the dying moments. With Lionel Messi shimmying with possession on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, he laid the ball off to Iniesta whose outside of the boot strike nestled into the top corner.
Pandamonium occurred, and Barcelona eventually went on to lift the Champions League in Guardiola's first full season of top-flight management.
#4 Didier Drogba – Chelsea vs Bayern Munich, 2012
It's quite fitting that on his final, or at least original final, appearance for Chelsea, Didier Drogba scored arguably the club's most important goal.
The Champions League in 2011/2012 for Chelsea produced some of the biggest underdog stories, greatest comebacks and best goals ever witnessed by most during their Cup winning run. The Blues had overcome the odds at every obstacle to ensure they were victorious in their pursuit of silverware.
At the home of opponents Bayern Munich in the Champions League final, Chelsea were destroyed on every inch of the pitch. From defence, midfield, and attack, Bayern did everything they could to claim the title – with the exception of scoring when it mattered.
The Bavarian giants squandered numerous chances to claim the Champions League, and when Thomas Muller gave his side the lead with nine minutes remaining, it looked set to end the Blues' hopes of a Champions League title.
Step forward Didier Drogba, and with seconds to spare, Chelsea managed to get themselves an equaliser to take the tie into extra-time. Arjen Robben missed a penalty before Chelsea won the contest in a penalty shoot-out with Drogba having the final say.
#3 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – Manchester United vs Bayern Munich, 1999
Bayern Munich, English sides, Champions League finals. They don't tend to work well for the Bavarian giants. An even bigger and more monumental last minute goal was scored in 1999 when Manchester United literally snatched the Champions League trophy away from the Bundesliga outfit.
Like Chelsea in 2012, United overcame the odds to reach the final in Barcelona in 1999. Their opponents would be the formidable Bayern Munich.
Munich, like in 2012, took the lead and destroyed United in all areas of the pitch. The woodwork and Peter Schmeichel stopped United being embarrassed at the Nou Camp.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man they say, and Teddy Sheringham, along with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were two substitutions made by Sir Alex Ferguson. Amazingly, Sheringham slotted home an equaliser with just seconds remaining on the clock, before the Norweigan Solskjaer left his mark in United folklore.
An inswinging corner was nodded in the direction of the Norway international and he poked home United's second goal with the last kick of the ball. It handed Ferguson's side the treble – the first and only English team to achieve such a remarkable feat.
#2 Michael Thomas – Arsenal vs Liverpool, 1989
For many years, this goal stood head and shoulders above every other last minute winner. The Arsenal midfielder remains a prominent figure in the club’s history due to the importance and significance of the goal.
Rewind to 1989, and George Graeme's Arsenal and Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool did battle to claim the league title at the expense of the other. The two teams were scheduled for a showdown at Liverpool's Anfield in the final game of the season, with the victor claiming the league title.
However, the advantage was in Liverpool's corner as the Merseysiders held a two-point lead over the Gunners meaning the Londoners had to beat Liverpool on their home turf – and do it by two goals.
Early in the second half, Alan Smith scored the opening goal to give Arsenal the lead before the infamous moment that handed Arsenal the title.
In the dying minutes of the match, Liverpool winger John Barnes attacked aimlessly instead of running down the clock. Ultimately, possession was handed back to the Gunners, and the end of the phase of play saw Arsenal score the needed second goal.
Arsenal claimed the league title, and it remains one of their finest moments in history.
#1 Sergio Aguero – Manchester City vs QPR, 2012
Premier League history's finest moment remains the Sergio Aguero winner against Queens Park Rangers in May 2012 – that is unless you're a Manchester United fan.
City had overcome an eight-point deficit with just six games remaining – at the expense of United. As City went into the match with QPR, a victory would see them claim the Premier League title on goal difference ahead of their bitter rivals.
Roberto Mancini's side had beaten United along the way, and the showdown for City's first domestic league title in 44 years was set.
As expected, City took a half-time lead before amazingly finding themselves 1-2 down with just moments remaining. Edin Dzeko scored an equaliser with 80 seconds left on the clock.
One final attack gave City fans some hope. With Mario Balotelli in possession, he somehow managed to scoop the ball into the path of Aguero who fired home with seconds remaining to give City their much-craved league title.
The loudest noise ever witnessed at a league stadium followed as described by Martin Tyler afterwards. And you'd be a fool to deny that when you look at the scenes that occurred as a result.
