I have to take a break today from looking back at Italia '90 to mark one of the most incredible results in recent football history.
Roma's 3-0 win against Barcelona was not just outstanding because they had lost the first leg 4-1 but because it was so unexpected. Who would have even thought that Barcelona winning the tie was anything but a formality. They haven't lost once in the Spanish league this season and have been at their imperious, dominant best while doing it. Roma were supposed to just lay down and accept their defeat. But instead they outplayed and out ran Barcelona just like Barcelona normally would.
The greater interest today was in whether Manchester City could overcome their 3-0 first leg deficit against Liverpool but once Liverpool made it 1-1 early in the second half all the attention switched to Roma who had just scored their second. Well done Roma for proving the heavy favourites don't always have to win. Now what are the odds of a repeat of the 1984 Roma-Liverpool final?
In late breaking news Toronto FC have just produced an upset of their own. They came through the second leg of their Champions League semifinal against Mexico's Club America at the Azteca with a 1-1 draw to win 4-2 on aggregate. The Mexican teams dominate the Champions League but this is the second Mexican team in a row that TFC have beaten. And who do they play in the Final? Chivas Guadalajara. Can they make it three in a row?
Amongst all the Roma, Liverpool excitement was the ongoing drama of the promotion race in the Championship in England. The little team from Birmingham that I cannot mention beat Cardiff but Fulham also won again. Tomorrow Wolves could move within two points of promotion if they win.
An exciting day of football comes to an end. A World Cup day could hardly be better than today.
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