Money Can’t Buy the Thrill of Victory

One of the most amazing finishes in the English Premier League occurred on Sunday afternoon, Sunday morning for us east coasters.  If you follow soccer passionately, football to most of the world, you know the intense rivalry between the two Manchester clubs, Manchester United and Manchester City.  It is as good as any rivalry in any sport anywhere in the world.

Think of the Yankees-Red Sox in baseball, Ohio State-Michigan in college football, Ali-Frazier in boxing, and North Carolina-Duke in college basketball, just to name a few.  The rivalry between United and City has the local intensity of Duke and North Carolina and the wild spending and attempts to outdo each other like the Yankees and Red Sox.  Like the Red Sox, Manchester City held a long drought from the last time they won a league championship.

What happened on Sunday felt more like the ending of a boxing match.  As the final minutes ticket down in the late rounds of this matchup, Manchester United senses victory and another league championship in the EPL.  They had just beaten Sunderland 1-0 and Manchester City was down 2-1 to Queens Park Rangers.  In a last moment of desperation, combined with exquisite precision and skill, Manchester City through a knockout blow, scoring two goals in extra time to not just seal a victory over QPR, but to win their first English Premier League title since 1968.

I am biased; I am a fan of the Yankees and of Manchester United.  As with any fan we hope to see the title drought continue with our hated rivals.  But despite the hatred for City, and the amount of money the club spent to win the championship, it still was a moment to watch and remember.

When City was down, you could see defeat on the faces of the fans, they were ready to give up and wait another year for the spoils of victory.  Suddenly those fans were awakened with hope as Edin Dzeko scored the goal to tie the game at 2-2.  Then, chaos ensued when Sergio Aguero scored the winning goal sending fans into pandemonium.  I knew the fans would go crazy, just as the Red Sox fans did when their drought ended.  But, I was not expecting the intense reaction from the overpaid players and over scrutinized coach, Roberto Mancini.  I have never seen a group of professional athletes express so much great joy, or see a coach so overwhelmed he almost had no idea what to do with himself.

Despite identical records with Manchester United, despite the money spent on these players, despite all of the controversy they encountered throughout the year, you have to say they deserved it.  They overcame erratic and immature behaviors by the talented Mario Balotelli, constant scrutiny over their coach, the soap opera drama called Carlos Tevez, early exits in the FA Cup (lost to United) and Champions League, the loss to Manchester United in the FA Community Shield to start the season, and a cold streak that saw them drop several points behind United that almost cost them any chance of the championship.

But City persevered, beating United in both of their Premiere League games and setting up a crazy final day of the Premiere League with the title undecided.  Coming into the day, Manchester City held the edge in goal differential, so a win by both teams would give City the edge.  They had not lost a league game at home all season, with only a tie with Sunderland.

What unfolded on Sunday set up for one of the craziest finishes to a season you could ever experience.  But like most of the season, Manchester United held advantage until the end of the season, and now the final moments of City’s game with QPR.  United thought they wrapped up the league weeks ago, but their goals dried up and City kept on scoring.  City could score goals, and lots of them.  They were able to catch up and regain the lead of the league table.

Those two quick goals to win the title showed what they were capable of and how in the end they were destined to win.  A thrill that will last a lifetime as they will always remember 2012, something that money can’t buy.