Champions league final 2008

The UEFA champions league final is usually a great festival.This year, it was organised in Luzhniki stadium,Moscow,with two English teams playing for the trophy, for the first in the history of the competition.Michel Platini,UEFA,s current boss is trying to broadened the appeal of the game,which explains the 2005 finals been held in Istanbul and last years final in Athens,Greece, while this one was held in Moscow.The two teams that made it to the finals were Manchester United(The Red Devils) and Chelsea football club of London,England.Manchester United was attempting to win the trophy for the third time,while this was Chelsea,s first participation in the final game.Manchester United and Chelsea FC have been great rivals of late, with Manchester United barely edging out Chelsea for the Premier league title this season on goal differences.Both clubs have some star power.With Manchester United,you have to start with their manager,Sir Alex Ferguson.The guy has been knighted some time ago, so he is not your everyday coach.United also has Portuguese international, Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the world,s best soccer player at the moment.There is also Carlos Tévez, the Argentine international, Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinard, both English internationals and Dutch international star goalkeeper,Edwin Van der Sar.For Chelsea,the star power does not start with their coach.Avram Grant, the current coach is rumoured to be gone after this finals, no matter the results.Chelsea,s star coach used to be Jose Mourinho,who is currently in the job market.Chelsea does have a star owner in the name of Roman Abramovich, a Russian billionaire who bought the London based club after having made his fortune in the Russian Oil Industry.For the star players, Chelsea has a lot of them.Didier Drogba, their leading goal scorer and Ivorian international, Micheal Essien, the Ghanian international, John Terry, Frank Lampard, both English internationals,Michael Ballack, the German midfield maestro and Petr Cech, their goalkeeper.United had won the trophy twice before.In 1958 and more recently in 1999.Most United supporters will remember 1999, because in was the year in which they achieve the "treble", winning the premier league title, the FA cup and finally the European Champions league on May 26th 1999.That champions league run had a lot of great moments, the semi final match up was against a Juventus of Turin team that had the likes of Zanetti and a certain french man called Zidane.The teams tired 1-1 at Old Trafford stadium, before United went to Turin and snatched a 3-2 victory, being two goals down after just 11 minutes of play.United heroes that day included, former Trinidad and Tobago international star striker,Dwight York and his sidekick of the season, Andy Cole.The drama in the finals will be talked about for a long time to come.United went down 1-0 just after six minutes of play.The full 90 minutes will go by without an equaliser.Bayern Munich,s officials were getting ready to start popping the champagne.Three minutes of added time was all it took for the drama to unfold.Goals from super subs, Terry Sherringham and Ole Gunner Solskjaer after two David Beckham corner kick crosses, made the final score,United 2,Bayern Munich 1.There was drama in Wednesday,s United victory over Chelsea, in the form of extra time and the dreaded penalty kicks to settle the final outcome.Cristiano Ronaldo, opened the scoring with a great header in the 26th minute of play from a Wes Brown cross in.That was Ronaldo,s 42nd goal for the season for United in all competition.What a remarkable season he has had.Chelsea equalised on a chip in from a Michael Essien,s deflected long range shot in the 45th minute by Frank Lampard.That will be all the scoring in open play.Chelsea came close to scoring twice,Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard both were denied by the woodwork.Drogba got himself thrown out of the match deep into the second period of extra time,intentionally hitting United,s defender Nemanja Vidic on the face.Penalty shoot out saw Tévez convert for united,Ballack for chelsea,Carrick for United,Belletti for Chelsea,Ronaldo came,break his stride and missed for United.Frank Lampard made it 3-2 advantage Chelsea,Hargreaves scored for United to make it 3-3,Ashley Cole made it 4-3 for Chelsea,Nani tired it at 4 a piece for United.First "goat" of the match has to be John Terry.All he had to do,is step up and covert and Chelsea FC will be crowned European Champions.Terry slipped while taking his shot and missed slightly off the right post.United were back in it.Anderson and Ryan Giggs will convert for United.Ivorian international, Kalou scored for Chelsea.Second" goat" of the match has to be Nicolas Anelka.The guy had such a brilliant career start with Arsenal before prematurely forcing his way to a Real Madrid team loaded with so many great players.Lack of playing time and off the field activities saw his international career also suffer.As he walked to take his kick, you just knew he was going to crumble under pressure.He did,having his spot kicked saved by Edwin van der Sar.Heroes of the night;Cristino Ronaldo,Edwin van der Sar,Frank Lampard,the whole United team for bagging their third champions league trophy.Final score(6-5)Manchester United over Chelsea FC after penalty shoot outs.