AC Milan blew a 3-0 lead in the 2005 Champions League final against Liverpool in IstanbulFootball is called the ‘Beautiful Game’ because of its thrilling and unpredictable nature. One moment a team is winning comfortably and the very next minute, they find themselves staring at the blank face of defeat. It is these moments that make people love this game. And hate it as well.When one’s favourite team seems to be in a situation from where it is impossible to lose, but they somehow manage to screw up a lead bigger than the nose of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, football becomes a poison that runs through the veins of the losing fans – slowly killing them from within.Here are some of the biggest instances where a team screwed up in football.
#1 Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal
This one still echoes in the memory.
Arsenal were hit by the deadly Tottenham Hotspur syndrome – doesn’t help that they are neighbours – as they blew away a 4 goal lead in the second half at St James Park. Going 4-0 up at half-time, Arsenal thrilled the away fans with their scintillating display of brutality.
However, a provocation from Joey Barton led to Abou Diaby losing his cool and getting himself sent off which set the stage for the Magpies. They grabbed it with both hands as two goals from the spot from cult-figure Joey Barton and a goal each from Leon Best and Cheik Tiote – who scored a screamer to equalize – gave the Toons a famous win and the social media many more reasons to laugh at and mock Arsenal.
#2 Barcelona 1-4 FC Metz
This one is ancient, but an epic nonetheless. After losing the first leg of the 1984 Cup Winners Cup 4-2 at home, literally everyone had given up on Metz securing anything from the tie. So much that the French media opted to not cover the second leg as they thought it was a waste of time.
The environment at the Camp Nou was also the same as more than half of the stadium was empty. Not only Barca fans, but then player, Bernd Schuster, was so convinced that his team were going to thrash the poorly-performing French Club that he said: "Give the Metz players some ham when they come to our place to thank them for the presents that they give us tonight."
In the end, these words came to bite Schuster in the backside.
Barca started the game brilliantly and seemingly sealed the tie by opening the scoring. However, Metz forward Tony Kurbos started – and marshalled – the comeback after a brilliant finish to make it 1-1. He then made it 2-1 when his cross was luckily deflected into the net. He made it 3-1 and then completed his hat-trick by making it 4-1 in the 85th minute and writing his name down in the history books.
At the end, FC Metz goalkeeper, Michel Ettore, slapped the arrogance of Schuster by going and screaming, “Where’s you ham now?” at Bernd Schuster’s face.
#3 Motherwell 6-6 Hibernian
The score read 6-2 in favour of Hibernian with just 25 minutes of normal time remaining. The home fans were probably making for the exits to reach home early and watch Keeping Up With The Kardashians and die of boredom instead of dying from the pain of seeing their beloved team get decimated at home.
They, however, would be thanking God for what happened next.
Goals from Giles Coke, Tom Hateley and John Sutton within the next 15 minutes decreased the deficit to just a goal and the Motherwell fans now had some hope for salvation. With just three minutes left, Hibernian goalkeeper Graeme Smith conceded a penalty and what was when the hearts of both sets of fans stopped.
Up came Ross Forbes – who was subbed in just 10 minutes ago – to take the penalty to the surprise of many as he was not the first-choice penalty taker. Apparently, Lukas Jutkiewicz – the usual taker – wanted Forbes to take it as he was ‘fresher’. It was the wrong decision as Forbes missed and broke the hearts of many fans.
But the game took another twist when Jutkiewicz made up for his error in judgment and scored an incredible goal that was likened by his manager to Marco van Basten’s in the 1988 European Cup final.
#4 Mali 4 4 Angola
So how does it feel when the host nation of the African Cup of Nations are winning by a margin of 4 goals in their own backyard and there are just 11 minutes of normal time to go? Fantastic, one would say, as the win is already in sight.
In sight, but not in hand.
11 minutes later, the margin was erased and the score read 4-4. Reading this, the word ‘how’ would echo in the reader’s mind. Former Barca man Seydou Keita began the fightback in the 79th minute with a somewhat lucky goal. Frederic Kanoute added the second before Keita scored his second and Yattabare completed the memorable comeback in the very last minute of added-time.
#5 Tottenham Hotspur 3-5 Manchester United
Manchester United were the reigning champions and went to White Hart Lane as clear favourites for a Premier League clash in 2001. All didn’t go too well as goals from Dean Richards, Les Ferdinand and Christian Ziege put the hosts 3-0 up at half-time and on the course to a famous victory.
But Tottenham Hotspur have a deadly syndrome called the Tottenham Hotspur syndrome, where they press the self-destruct button when they are in cruise control.
After receiving the hair dryer treatment from Sir Alex Ferguson, United’s players were pumped up in the second half and scored five unanswered goals – from Andy Cole, Laurent Blanc, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Juan Sebastian Veron and David Beckham – to win the game in what became one of the greatest comebacks in football.
#6 Tottenham Hotspur 3-4 Manchester City
And now to the blue half of Manchester. This is what happens when a team has the Tottenham Hotspur syndrome.
The scenarios are almost similar in this case as well. Spurs were well and truly on their way to secure a big win as they went into half time being 3-0 up. Added to this, they also had the advantage of the numbers as Joey Barton did what he does best and got himself sent off for Manchester City.
10 men and a 3 goal deficit. Surely, no way City could grab anything from here?
However, goals from Sylvian Distin, Paul Bosvelt, Shaun-Wright Phillips and Jonathan Macken got City one of their best wins – and perhaps one of their greatest comeback wins – which knocked Spurs out from the fourth round of the 2003/04 FA Cup.
#7 Blackpool 4-3 Bolton
Considered by many as the greatest FA Cup final of all time, this match is also otherwise known as the “Matthews Final.”
With only 20 minutes to play, Bolton were leading 2-0 in front of a 100,000 plus crowd at Wembley. The Cup was already in their bag, but the bag was torn open and the Cup was snatched away by the wrath of Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen.
A Matthews cross founds it way to Mortensen, who put the ball into the net to score. Mortensen was on the scoresheet again, this time via a free-kick, to become the first and only player to score a hat-trick in an FA Cup final.
Bill Parry completed the rout after heading home another wonderful cross from Stanley Matthews to seal one of the most dramatic wins in the history of the competition. Stanley Matthews avoided taking credit for the turnaround and refused to accept the nickname “The Matthews Final.”
Jose Mourinho, take note.
#8 Reading 5 7 Arsenal
Nobody will ever really be able to tell what actually happened in this game. The first shock of the game was when Reading raced to a 4-1 lead going into half-time.
Arsenal fans were stunned. The ‘Wenger Out’ brigade was increasing in numbers, and why not? They hadn’t won a trophy in a long time and this embarrassment was too much to take.
However, some voodoo tricks from Arsene Wenger at half-time ensured an inspirational turnaround in the second half. Olivier Giroud made it 4-2 in the 64th minute, but Reading held their nerve – till the 89th minute.
An 89th minute goal by Laurent Koscielny and then a goal very deep into injury time by Theo Walcott – who also scored the first goal – completed a brilliant comeback from Arsenal which took the game into extra-time.
The Gunners took the lead in extra-time through Marouane Chamakh before Reading’s Pavel Pogrebnyak equalized with just 4 minutes to go. The game looked set to go to penalties, but then Arsenal struck twice in the dying minutes of extra time through Walcott and Chamakh to seal one of the most emphatic wins in their history.
#9 AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool
The miracle of Istanbul. Without doubt the greatest Champions League final of this millennium.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Milan had were in complete control of the game and looked set to win their seventh Champions League title. Some Scousers had already left the stadium before the second half kicked-off – a decision which might be giving them nightmares even now.
Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso wrote their names in history by scoring a goal each to bring Liverpool back into the game. However, the name which was written in the biggest font was that of Jerzy Dudek.
The Polish goalkeeper stopped two penalties in the shootout to ensure that Liverpool won their fifth European trophy – a feat no other English club can match.
