Drogba, Magical and Chelsea win the Champions League

Photo credit: The Sun

 

The heavens are blue. Chelsea blue. The English team's first ever win of the UEFA Champions League was achieved through defense, magical moments and the right players. This is how they beat Bayern Munich today. For Munich, their run to the final in their home stadium was written in the stars when they defeated Real Madrid via penalties at the Bernabeu. But today it wasn't their time, their game, or their title. 

The sheer drive of Chelsea, a team working as a unit, and their masterful striker, Didier Drogba, eventually painted the Munich night blue. This was after the home team had had the bulk of the possession and chances throughout the match. Indeed, Munich was favored worldwide to win it all today because of their record in the tournament, their rich history and the fact that they were to play in their home stadium.

It was Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng, Mario Gomez and company pushing harder and further up the field until the masterful header by Muller brought Bayern Munich closer to the cup in the 83rd minute. After that, Muller and Ribery were subbed off for tactical and injury reasons, and this proved fatal when Drogba scored a precise header past Neuer in the 88th.

Fate seemed to smile for Munich when a penalty was given to them when Drogba fouled Ribery in the penalty area. Robben would try to bring it home in the 95th of stoppage time as the thousands of Munich fans expectantly watched the Dutch maestro. Chelsea has another not-so-secret weapon: Petr Cech. The Czech goalkeeper is a penalty specialist and, full of confidence from the Barcelona match, he stood his ground and stopped a powerful but lazily placed shot by the Dutchman.

Extra time was a whirlwind of Munich attacks and trademark Chelsea defense. This is why Di Mateo's club was able to oust Barcelona from the cup. Sheer numbers in the back and tactical marking. It would go on to penalties and Petr Cech showed his worth once more, bringing a 1-3 deficit to a final of 4-3 by stopping Olic and Schweinsteiger.

It is fitting, perhaps, that an interim coach would win it for Chelsea. Abromovich always went for the flashy managers in Mourinho, Hiddink, and Ancelotti but they never got him the Champions League. The other time his club made the final happened when another interim coach, Avram Grant, was at the helm. Will Di Mateo stay? One can't argue with a Champions League trophy, even if the club ended in 6th place in the Premier League.

Often we are treated with true spectacles in the beautiful game and oftentimes the flashy fantasy will win over. Such was the case with Barcelona in recent Champions League finals and Spain at the 2010 World Cup. But more often than not, true teamwork and defensive poise helps a squad succeed and bring home a trophy. Sometimes poetry is written on the soccer field. Today Drogba and Cech were our poets.

Meant to be: Japan wins Women's World Cup

Photo credit: Getty Images

Meant to be. Not meant to be. Those were the shades of fate today at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Heartbreak. Emotion. Redemption. Japan walked out as world champions for the first time, and deservedly so.

Not meant to be for the US soccer team. The chances came and went throughout the first half. What could have been a score of 2-0 ended up tied scoreless. Alex Morgan's goal midway through the second half was almost enough. But not today.

Not meant to be for the defense today. Alex Krieger and Buehler didn't compact themselves enough and their casual clearance of an impressive Japanese attack was what gave way to the tying tally.

Not meant to be for Abby Wambach. She tried and pushed and got the go-ahead goal in the second period of extra time. Header. Perfect. But not enough. Japan tied the score with 4 minutes to go thanks to a misplaced bounce off our star goalscorer. 2-2. Penalties.

Not meant to be for Hope Solo either. Our superb goalkeeper wasn't tested enough by Japan for most of the game. This would have an impact as the game wore on. A slight injury in the overtime occurred right before Japan's tying goal. Her usual resolve was tested in the penalties and today she let one slip past her that could have made things interesting. She's only 29. Expect her at the Olympics and at Canada 2015.

Meant to be for Japan. Yes, today you could sense it. They were the lovable underdogs with a special cause. It was hard to imagine how the world wouldn't be cheering for the "blue samurais" today. Their country has seen such pain and agony this year. And they dedicated their fighting spirit, their resolve, their goals, and their title to the nation they love. And we applaud them for it.

Congratulations, Japan. Today the world cheered with you. It was simply meant to be.

Poetic Justice: USA Women defeat Brazil

Photo credit: LA Times

Somehow the USA can't script their soccer better. Last year it was Donovan's goal in stoppage time at the men's World Cup. This year it was Abby Wambach in the 122nd of overtime to tie the match against Brazil to send it into penalties.

It was poetic justice in so many levels today. The score was opened in the third minute by Diana in an unfortunate own goal for the Brazilians. She would miss her penalty later.

Poetic justice because of fraudulent calls that gave away Brazil's goals and yet the USA still won the game. Having looked at the replay, the American Rachel Buehler went for the ball and contact with Marta was incidental in a close call that could have gone either way. It was the tying penalty for Brazil. Hope Solo saved the first shot but the play was disallowed because an American player ran into the 18-yard box before the penalty was taken. Marta put away the second kick.

Poetic justice for the fighting spirit against both Brazilians and bad refereeing. Marta's second goal (a beauty, by the way) came out of a play that should have been called back due to an obvious offside. Later on Erika would fake an injury and this added 3 extra minutes. These extra minutes allowed for Rapinoe's pinpoint center and Wambach's wondrous header to send the game to penalties.

It was poetic justice for the fans as well. The ESPN crew with Julie Foudy and Brandy Chastain screamed along with Ian Darke's call when Wambach scored the tying goal. Us fans throughout the world and at the stadium had been yelling at the screen for all the missed calls. But our disappointments were erased by the teamwork that USA players are known for. The stadium never gave up. The players put their hearts on the field. Their spirits never crumbled. And at the end, when things had gone so wrong, they believed in themselves and poetic justice was served.

Wambach's goal: