Guts, Glory and Great Gallons of Luck

AC Milan 3 - Liverpool 3 (Liverpool wins 3-2 on penalties)

No pretensions to impartiality here; I am over the moon with this totally unexpected result. Victory in Europe for Liverpool, after 21 years. This is a club that has frustratingly underachieved in the Premier League and spectacularly overachieved in the Champion's League. I suppose it all evens out to a solid debut season for Benitez.

Much has been, and will be, written about this remarkable victory, grasped from the jaws of defeat in 6 minutes of madness and more than a little luck, and a few more minutes of drama in the penalty shootout. There will be those that would question if Liverpool "deserved" to lift the trophy after being completely outplayed by Milan in the first half. I will leave the analysis to those who are paid to do it. I can only say that the question of "deserving" is moot in a game that often plays out over 90 minutes to result in a 0-0 draw. The beauty of soccer is that it can be so many things and turn out in so many ways. Should 6 minutes of brilliance cover up 45 minutes of ineptitude? It's a question that need not be asked in the unpredictable world of soccer. A split second of inspiration can win a match; just as a split second of lost concentration can throw away a lead. It's the way of the game. Besides, if one starts arguing about being "deserving", how deserving is a team that surrenders a 3-goal advantage in 6 minutes? It cuts both ways.

From a fan's unabashedly delighted perspective, I am so pleased for the long-time Liverpool supporters all over the world, but especially for those who filled the pubs of Merseyside and those who saved for months to make the trip to Istanbul. I am thrilled for the Liverpool players who were born and bred there - Stephen Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. This is nowhere close to the great Liverpool teams of the 1980s, but they have achieved a great outcome, compensating with pride and passion what they lack in ability and athleticism. Perhaps victory is all the sweeter because it came against such seemingly insurmountable odds.

The going joke is the best team in Europe are not even the best team in Merseyside, never mind the best team in England. Yes, Liverpool finished fifth in the Premiership, and placed behind Everton. But look at who they beat in the Champion's League knock-out stages. Chelsea, the champions of England, boasting two Premiership "Players of the Year" in Lampard and Terry. Juventus, the champions of Italy. AC Milan, the outgoing champions of Italy, European Champions only 2 years ago and blessed with the likes of Shevchenko, Kaka and one of the strongest club defences in the world, led by the great Paolo Maldini. When you manage to win against teams like these, you have done your part to win the Champions' League trophy. And there is another statistic that hasn't been much mentioned - Liverpool went undefeated throughout the knock-out stages. They did not lose a single match, not even an away match, and were the only team to boast this record. AC Milan lost to PSV in the semis, even Chelsea lost to both Barca and Bayern Munich en route to the semifinals. Liverpool are not the best team in Europe, but they were the best team in the Champions' League competition stage.

And look at what they did in the final. Three very good goals (Maldini's in the first minute and Crespo's fine brace) down by half-time and seemingly out of it. The fear was that Crespo would get his hattrick and Shevchenko would get in on the scoring, and Liverpool would lose by an embarassing scoreline. There was gloom everywhere; even the commentators (Rob Hawthorne and Andy Grey on duty for Sky Sports, from whom ESPN Start Sports took the match commentary) were somewhat disparaging about Liverpool's improved performance in the opening minutes of the second half. It seemed that nobody believed there was a way they could dig themselves out of that very deep hole. The Gerrard scored and dispensing with celebration, sprinted to the kick-off spot, urging both fans and players to rally. It seemed then that there was somebody who believed, after all. Five minutes later, Liverpool were level, courtesy of Smicer and Xabi Alonso, scoring on the rebound from a brilliantly saved penalty. It was exhausting, exhilarating and for Milan supporters, excruciating. Liverpool played out the half a completely different team than the one that took to the field in the first half. On to extra time, where Liverpool were visibly tired but hung on, via a Dudek double-save, to bring the game to penalties.

I hate penalty shoot-outs and would like to see a better way to resolve matches, especially in major finals. But it's not like I have any better ideas. With all the expense, travelling and logistics involved in high-level soccer, replays are not feasible. Other forms of sudden-death tie-breakers would be no better than a penalty shoot out. I hate penalty shoot-outs but am resigned to them as a necessary evil. This time, in this match, the penalty shoot-out was oddly appropriate, recalling the last time Liverpool won the European Champion's Cup, also in a penalty shoot-out. Twenty one years ago, the hero was Bruce Grobelaar and his wobbly-legged dance. This time, Jerzy Dudek did the honours with his clownlike antics on the goal-line. It was not dignified, definitely not pretty and to some, perhaps not even completely within the laws of soccer. But it got the job done. It won Liverpool the Champions' League trophy.

And because I can be petty - "HA! Take that, Mourinho!".