Looking at past Euros and memorable games, I just saw the highlights of that semi final between Netherlands and Italy in 2000 and it's crazier than I remember. How the Netherlands couldn't score in that game was just bizarre. It made me think of what other games from the past could you think of where it was either a rearguard defensive performance or a lot of luck, or both as is mostly the case to be fair. Our FA Cup semi final vs Arsenal in 1999 and Inter's CL semi final vs Barcelona in 2010 spring to mind. What other games can you think of?
How did they win that!?
- Thread starter Theonas
- Start date
Fa cup final 2005 is rather obvious one
Chelsea 2012
Yup, every knock-out round
FA Cup final 2005.
That FA Cup game in 2008 where we somehow lost to fecking Portsmouth.
I remember Di Matteo's reaction to winning, I think in the round of 16 that year. He was outright jumping like Chelsea had won the whole Final. I remember think just how much of a joke him and Chelsea were that year. Couple of months later they actually win the whole damn thing....
Inter didn't get lucky at all, it was jose at his peak and they completely nullified barca, it was well deserved.
Yeah we got lucky in our semi final win particularly the penalty save but it was somewhat even beforehand.
BVB against us in 97 is one, 2016 euro final reaches that status as well I'd say.
Yeah we got lucky in our semi final win particularly the penalty save but it was somewhat even beforehand.
BVB against us in 97 is one, 2016 euro final reaches that status as well I'd say.
When we won 2-1 away to Arsenal in van Gaal's first season. Arsenal had like 10 clear cut chances, but, unfortunately for them, de Gea was in prime form.
Another Arsenal game in José's season. I think it was in the 17/18 one. Same as above. Another incredible de Gea performance:
Another Arsenal game in José's season. I think it was in the 17/18 one. Same as above. Another incredible de Gea performance:
I mentioned in the op that it could be either a great defensive performance or a lucky escape which is why I included those examples. I agree in Inter's case as I don't remember Barcelona missing that many chances but I could be wrong. Our semi final vs Arsenal however, we definitely got away with it. Conceding a pen when we did and them missing it and being camped in our half after the sending off only to somehow score a goal that you see once every god knows how many years is a bit lucky in my books, the best kind
I really think I blocked that from my memory. One of the worst feelings after a game.
The ball just would not go in the net. Ridiculous goal line clearances and all.
Of course they went on to win the fecking thing.
I loved watching this game. Seeing Barca going round in circles with all of their tippy tappy passing having no idea what to do, and then Torres with the sucker punch counter attack goal.
Was glorious to watch them fail.
Us winning the CL final in 99.
O Sheas winner at Anfield in 2007.
Theres a few positive ones to take the edge off the negatives.
O Sheas winner at Anfield in 2007.
Theres a few positive ones to take the edge off the negatives.
The 2007 Liverpool one yes, for sure.
I've always heard this about the 99 match. We got lucky, yes with the post and crossbar. But we had 61% possession. We had 19 shots to their 18 and 7 shots on target to their 5. So we weren't outclassed the way many say that night.
Yeah but I dont think anyone remembers that side of it.
The Chelsea Barca semi in 2012 was actually crazy. Just attack v defence for the whole game and somehow they didn’t win.
Greece the whole of Euro 2004
Leicester 2015/16. They were extremely lucky for the majority of their 38 games.
Nah, maybe lucky in the sense that the competition was weak that year. But you can't win a league title being lucky. You've definitely been better than the other 19 teams.
Vs Newcastle in '96 is an obvious one. 2nd half was actually very even, but first half they battered us. Schmeichel kept them at bay, they hit the bar. Should have been 3 or 4 up at half time.
Every single game we failed to win against Brad Friedel. Never known one goalkeeper to as consistently turn into peak Yashin every bloody time he faced United.
West Ham 1-1 in '95 was ridiculous too. Cole should have had a hatrick, bossed them from start to finish and blew the title.
Every single game we failed to win against Brad Friedel. Never known one goalkeeper to as consistently turn into peak Yashin every bloody time he faced United.
West Ham 1-1 in '95 was ridiculous too. Cole should have had a hatrick, bossed them from start to finish and blew the title.
Liverpool Arsenal cup final too.
Arsenal should have been 5 up, Liverpool couldn't get a kick.
Then Owen pops up with 2 goals from nothing. Jammy bstards
Arsenal should have been 5 up, Liverpool couldn't get a kick.
Then Owen pops up with 2 goals from nothing. Jammy bstards
At Euro '88, the USSR got their tactics all wrong, ended up pinned back for about 60–70% of the game, and generally didn't play that well against the Netherlands in the opening group game, but ended up winning 1-0. It turned out they used up their luck too early and ended up losing the final rematch despite a much better performance, where they were probably slightly the better of the two.
Spain probably should have put France out at Euro 2000. They eventually pinned France back in the second half and missed three or four big chances, including a penalty and two headers from about five yards out.
Spain probably should have put France out at Euro 2000. They eventually pinned France back in the second half and missed three or four big chances, including a penalty and two headers from about five yards out.
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Bayern dominating the 99 final is one of football's greatest myths.
Many just seem to remember Bayern's chances with them hitting the bar and post and it has distorted their memories.
Our 3-1 win vs PSG. One of my favourite post-Fergie games but we didn't half ride our luck. We could have conceded 4 before Bailly was hooked off.
West Ham Beating us at Old Trafford to stay up at Sheff Utd’s expense.
I’ve never watched the game as it was mostly just before my time but didn’t we batter West Ham in 95 but couldn’t finish them which cost us the title, I know Cole supposedly missed a lot of chances but not sure if it was a domination and West Ham got lucky or an end to end where they finished better than us.
I’ve never watched the game as it was mostly just before my time but didn’t we batter West Ham in 95 but couldn’t finish them which cost us the title, I know Cole supposedly missed a lot of chances but not sure if it was a domination and West Ham got lucky or an end to end where they finished better than us.
Celtic Barcelona in 2012/2013. I think Barca had more than 85% of pocession.
It would have been our second treble too.
Abramovich is ultimately how they won it.
They put fifteen men behind the ball against Barca and Bayern, but a club with their vast unearned resources ought to beat Porto and Napoli, and play better than Rafaball.
What really fecks me off about it, besides the above, is how people denigrate us beating Bayern in 1999 as flukey when we had more shots on target, created more chances...
Yeah, wanted us to lose so badly. Some of our support curiously support such mythmaking, as they do with ROG and Coventry 'deserving it'.
Trying to fit in.
Ah yes. The ultimate game raiser. I swear he had some kind of personal vendetta against us that made him turn into Spiderman every fecking time he faced us.
I remember reading the matchday forums on here at the time and seeing people saying "one day, Friedel will retire".
We beat Benfica pretty comfortably in the round 16, and then it was tale of 2 legs vs Napoli in the QF, the second leg comeback remains one of my favourite games of all time.
It was really just the SFs and the final that fit the description here. Messi hit the post twice I think and then missed a penalty, which would have been the knockout blow to put them 3-1 up on the night. Among a host of huge chances in both legs. In the final Robben missed a penalty in extra time. When Neville said ‘I can feel something happening, it’s written in the stars’ he was truly spot on.
This wasnt that much of a surprise in the bigger picture though, we had already won the league, had the FA Cup final a week later and werent playing the full strength starting 11 and certainly werent playing at 100%. West Ham on the other hand were fighting for their lives so had more to lose than us on the day.
I suppose the how did they win that could be how did they stay up in this case.
We won at the Emirates once, Rooney scored near the end and I remember cracking up. It was such a beautiful smash and grab.