GUNNERS FADE OUT IN FINAL

 

(Image taken from Soccernet)

 

No need to look too far back for the last English side to win the Champions League as there can't be many football fans who can't remember the Scouse comeback in Istanbul last year! However you had to go back to the mid 1980s for the last time there was an English side in Europe's top club competition for two years in a row, when the Scousers were in the '84 and '85 finals and I'm too young to remember that. You then have to rewind a few more years for the last time English sides won the old European Cup two years running, the Scousers in '81 followed up by Villa of all sides in '82 - I wasn't even born in May 1982.

So Arsenal's following up of the Scousers lifting the trophy with their own first ever appearance in the Champions League final was straight up amazing. However only the cockiest Gunner would have bet on a win for their side in the Stade de France. Barcalona had not only been the best side in the competition up to that point, they were pretty hungry for succsess themselves.

The match opened up like it would be a classic. Henry serving his intent on the Barcelona defence while the attackers on the Catalan side hammered Jens Lehman's goal. And then insanity. The German goalie appeared to bring down Samuel Eto'o before the ball hit the net. For some reason the ref didn't allow the goal and then caved under Barca pressure to send Lehmann off. After this stupidity it wasn't a question of if Arsenal would concede but when...but Arsene Wenger's crew got a large chunk of luck when they were given a free kick after a Emanuel Eboue dive in the 37th minute. An Henry cross met Sol Campbell's head and the ten man Gunners were up, substitute goalie Manuel Almunia keeping Barca out till half time.

In the second half Barca went all out at the Arsenal defence though with the counters the Gunners had, Thierry Henry did manage to have a better game than Ronaldinho who didn't seem to be on top form. The same could not be said for Eto'o though and when Henrik Larsson was brought on the Swede smoothly set up the Cameroonian for a 76th minute equaliser that acted like a bullet to the Gunners's fuel tank. A Barca winner felt inevitable and in the 80th minute Larrson fed the Brazilian Juliano Belletti and from there it was game over, I can't honestly say I expected a different result.

Going down a few levels though, Leeds played Watford in the Championship playoff final at the Millenium Stadium with the last spare 06/07 Premiership spot up for grabs. The London side won the honours easily, with defender Jay DeMerit opening the scoring before Neil Sullivan scored an og and Darius Henderson slammed in a penalty to finish the match and give the Hornets their first season in the Premiership since 00/01.

So that's it for the domestic season and from here on in it's the final run in to the World Cup.

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