The Beautiful Game

The Champions League Final.

An occasion for the world's game to take center stage. An event so massive that people around the world stop what they are doing for a few hours and sit in front of their TV or go to their nearest pub to take part. A time for celebration and for friends to get together and enjoy the moment.

I always go to Fadó Irish Pub to watch football (soccer here in America), so I thought this would be the best place to watch the Champions League Final between Manchester United and Chelsea FC. Game time was 1:45pm, so I decided to get there 30 minutes early in order to get a good spot. When I walked in, I could barely see the TVs because there were hundreds of people drinking, eating, chatting, and chanting their teams’ songs.

I knew I had come to the right place.

Pregame:

I make my way through the crowd to the bar where Ashley, Holly, and Adrian were running in circles like gerbils on a running wheel. Orders for beer and food were flying at them from left and right, but they handled it like champs. My friend Elena was coming to meet me to watch the game, but she was running a bit late. This was to be her first Champions League experience. Her football knowledge is close to nonexistent, but she wants to learn. I told her I would do my best to help, and her experience today should do a lot toward making her a fan.

I decided to go ahead and order food because I hadn’t eaten all day. As I found another friend who had a good spot, I noticed Elena trying to make her way over to me. At that moment, the crowd let out a big yell as coverage of the game got under way, and the players walked out onto the pitch. Elena looked at me wide-eyed as if to say, “What am I getting myself into?”

Cristiano Ronaldo came on the screen as he was warming up, and Man U fans went wild as their warrior led them into battle. Then, Didier Drogba ran across the screen as he too loosened up, and Chelsea fans screamed just as loud to show their support. Next, Sir Alex Ferguson appeared and again Man U fans cheered. Finally, Avram Grant’s stoic face showed up and one fan shouted, “Don’t look him in the eye because he’ll turn you into stone!”

It was game time!

First half:

Neither team had the advantage early as they fouled each other with reckless abandonment. Ronaldo seemed a bit out of sorts as he couldn’t control a pass from Paul Scholes. Then, Ronaldo juked Michael Essien out of his socks and raced down the left flank before crossing the ball into the middle. Owen Hargreaves missed the header, and the Man U fans in the pub gasped at the missed opportunity.

Still early in the first half, Paul Scholes and Claude Makelele go for a ball and clash heads. Scholes is down, bleeding in his hands, while Makelele slowly makes his way to his feet. Both players refuse to go out of the game as they know its magnitude. The Chelsea players are upset at Scholes for knocking Makelele around, and the Chelsea faithful let Man U supporters know it. “That was cheap,” I heard one fan say. I saw a full smile break out across Elena’s face, and I knew she wanted more.

Scholes and Wes Brown play a great one-two pass to make some space past a few Chelsea defenders, and Brown crossed the ball into the penalty area. Ronaldo skied over Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho and headed the ball home for United, as they took a 1-0 lead after 26 minutes. The pub erupted, as Man U fans were screaming, “U-Ni-Ted! U-Ni-Ted!” Elena, only now realizing the game’s importance, turned around, looked at me and smiled again as if she was really enjoying the moment.

I leaned over to my friend Alex, a Man U supporter, and asked if he thought before the game that Cristiano Ronaldo was going to score. “Yeah, and Carlos Tevez will get the second!” The obvious confidence for Man U was showing as the fans continued chanting after Ronaldo’s goal.

The game was now end to end, as we neared halftime. Chelsea, after giving up the early goal, is taking the game to Man U. Michael Ballack has a good shot on goal, but it sailed a bit wide. United striker Wayne Rooney shoots a 60-yard pass to Ronaldo and he crosses the ball to Carlos Tevez in the box. Tevez’s diving header is saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, and the rebound goes right to United midfielder Michael Carrick. Carrick’s shot was again saved by a flailing Cech, and the Chelsea fans were in complete jubilation.

And that’s when the game changed.

Man U fans were chanting, “Glory! Glory! Man U-Niiiiii-Ted! And the team goes marching on!” Chelsea was applying pressure to United, and wouldn’t let them out of their own end of the field. “Come on Chelsea! Come on Chelsea!” the Chelsea faithful exclaimed.

Essien shoots the ball from 25 yards out, and it deflects off of Rio Ferdinand into the path of Frank Lampard, who put it in the back of the net for Chelsea. Lampard points toward the sky, in remembrance of his fallen mother, who passed away a few weeks ago. “Chelsea! Chelsea! Chelsea!” as the pub was in a frenzy with Chelsea fans yelling in happiness and United fans stunned by the turn of events.

Halftime score: Man U 1-1 Chelsea

Second Half:

As the second half begins, the pub is quiet with anticipation. Both teams are more intense, as they question every call. Chelsea has the momentum again, as Man U has sent all 10 field players behind the ball. Chelsea can’t find a way to put the ball in the back of the net, and their fans yell in frustration as if their lives depended on the outcome.

With all of the intensity and conflicting emotions, I asked Elena what she thought of her first Champions League experience. “I’m enjoying the experience, and the energy in the pub is electric!” I had to smile at that one.

Drogba hits the post with a laser from just outside the 18-yard box. “Come on Chelsea! Come on Chelsea!” It’s end to end action now, as the game has come to life. Ryan Giggs was warming up on the sidelines, which sent the Man U fans jumping for joy. Giggs was set to make his record breaking 759th appearance for Man U, which would make him the club’s all-time leader in appearances. He’s a fan favorite, and it showed as he entered the game to an arousing ovation.

“Let’s go Chelsea!” “Come on Man U!” “Let’s go Chelsea!” “Come on Man U!”

The fans were now yelling over each other to push their team on to victory. Ronaldo gets knocked down to the turf, and a Chelsea fan yells, “Get up you wanker!”

Regulation ends, and we have overtime.

Overtime:

They players are understandably tired, as the game’s pace has slowed tremendously. Lampard receives a cross from Essien and turns the defender, before releasing the shot. It hit the crossbar and bounced away as the Chelsea supporters screamed in agony at the missed chance. Man U fans took a deep breath as they almost witnessed their Champions League dream go down the toilet in the early stages of overtime.

The TV camera scanned the crowd and spotted military men putting Man U jerseys over their uniforms. This got the supporters up and chanting again. “U-Ni-Ted! U-Ni-Ted!” Chelsea faithful, never wanting United to have the upper hand, start yelling, “Come on Chelsea! Come on Chelsea!”

John Terry saves Chelsea early in overtime as he heads a Giggs shot away to safety. Cech was out of position on the play and had to thank Terry for the help on that one.

Both teams were obviously exhausted after the first 15 minutes of overtime. As the second half of overtime got under way, things got a little testy. Nemandja Vidic, Man U central defender, slid in on Nicolas Anelka and flipped him in the air, giving Chelsea a free kick from about 25 yards out. Unfortunately for Chelsea, Drogba hits it wide.

At this point several players were cramping. With shear determination and showing grit, they refuse to leave the pitch as they realize the importance of this moment. They will be remembered by the result of this game, for not many players have the chance in their careers to play in a Champions League Final.

Tevez was involved in an altercation with Chelsea players, and his teammates come over to help. Vidic and Drogba get caught talking trash, and Drogba slapped Vidic in the face, which results in a red card. What a stupid thing for Drogba to do. He’s made it this far in the game, and he chooses to go out like that. Foolish.

Overtime ends with the score still tied at 1. On to penalty kicks.

Penalty kicks:

As the penalty kicks were about to begin, I asked Alex’s girlfriend, Patricia, what she thought about her first Champions League experience. “Great first experience,” she exclaimed. “Love the energy in the pub. It’s difficult to absorb what’s going on because everything’s happening so fast at this point, but I’m enjoying it!”

Tevez steps in to take the first kick, and slots it home with ease. Ballack up next, and puts his away as if to say, “no problem.” Carrick coolly puts his in the back of the net, then Juliano Belletti does the same for Chelsea. With the score tied at 2, Cristiano Ronaldo steps in. He fakes as if he going to kick the ball, hoping to see which direction Chelsea keeper Cech is going to go, but Cech doesn’t move. Ronaldo quickly takes the kick and Cech stretches out to his right to save the penalty! Chelsea fans are going crazy, while Man U supporters look devastated. Everyone realized the importance of making the penalties, and Ronaldo just blew it.

Frank Lampard steps in and calmly knocks the ball past United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. Chelsea has the advantage now, leading 3-2 on penalties with two more kicks for each team coming. Hargreaves steps in and hits the ball high into the left corner of the net, keeping United’s hopes alive. Ashely Cole, up next for Chelsea, puts the ball past van der Sar.

With one kick left for each team, and Chelsea up 4-3, you could hear a needle drop in the pub as everyone’s hearts were in their throats. Luis Nani steps in for United, knowing that if he missed the game was over, and the Champions League title would go to Chelsea. He coolly slotted the ball past Cech, leveling the score at 4, with only one kick left for Chelsea.

Chelsea Captain, John Terry, steps up to take the decisive kick. He knows he will either be the hero or the goat, depending on the outcome of his shot. If he makes it, Chelsea are champions of Europe. If he misses, each team gets one more chance. Terry moves toward the ball, with millions of people watching on TV all over the world and immense pressure on his shoulders. He plants his foot to kick, and on his follow through, his cleats come out from under him as he slips to the turf. His shot sails toward the right post and bounces off, going wide of the mark.

“He missed!” One fan yelled from inside the pub. Man U faithful screamed and yelled as Terry’s miss gave their team new life. A Chelsea supporter, with hands over her mouth in disbelief, looked as if she was going to break down and cry.

United midfielder, Anderson, steps in and nails the ball past Cech. Soloman Kalou does the same for Chelsea. Ryan Giggs gets his shot and easily puts it in the right corner.

Anelka, needing to make his kick to keep Chelsea in the game, steps up. Van der Sar, with his mammoth wing span, puts his arms out to make the goal look smaller. Anelka strikes the ball left, and van der Sar stretches out to knock the ball to safety. He quickly rises to his feet and puts his arms in the air, in victory, as he is mauled by his jubilant teammates.

Manchester United win the Champions League title.

Edwin van der Sar the hero.

John Terry in tears.

Maybe next year, Chelsea.