lookupsport

Well having watched and been bored by the FA Cup final on Saturday and listened to the build up of the Champions League Final, I was not expecting a game with much excitement.  With Steven Gerrard having said that he would be happy with a boring 1-0 win, and neither coach known for taking risks, 1-0 would have been my bet for the outcome - unless it finished 0-0 and went to penalties of course.  But we should know to expect the unexpected and the complete opposite to whatever players and or coaches say before a match. How many times has an England coach said that the team will be going all out for a win and then you sit and watch as they fail to have a shot in anger?

Benitez looked to have pulled of another master stroke when he played Steven Gerrard up front and played Jermaine Pennant.  Who would have put money on that?  Or on Pennant actually looking the most dangerous player on the pitch.

The writing was on the wall though when after dominating much of the first half, Liverpool had not opened the scoring.  More often than not the team, which fails to take advantage in these situations find themselves going behind.  For Liverpool it was even crueller when a tame looking free kick deflected off of Inzaghi and hit the net on the stroke of half time.

As the second half wore on and Liverpool threw more players forward, they were always going to risk a sucker punch and that’s what happened 8 minutes from time when Kaka played in Inzaghi for his second.  

A grand stand finish looked on the cards though when Kuyt scored a couple of minutes from time and no doubt many a Milan fan had visions of 2005.  However, it wasn’t to be and the referee obviously keen that the game wouldn’t go to extra time, blew the whistle on the game 2.5 minutes into 3 minutes of extra time, despite some of that time being used for a Milan substitution.

A disappointing result especially as Milan were the only non-Premiership side in the final 4.  However, at least a game with some excitement rather than the dull affair many had predicted and I had feared!