The only reason I knew anything about the EPL was because I played a video game called FIFA all through high school and college. In the early 2000s, the EPL began to gain popularity in the United States.
Major broadcast companies began picking up the games more and more each year. I decided to hop on board and choose a rooting interest.
Now, I knew about Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United but I did not want to root for any of the top 4. I looked at Manchester United as the Yankees of English soccer and decided to go with their same town rivals, Manchester City.
Manchester City has seen a very rapid rise through the ranks of the EPL. They were a middle of the pack team when I hopped on board and have grown to a perennial title contender.
Manchester City were also the part of the greatest game I have ever watched.
It was the last day of the season, Manchester City and Manchester United were tied going into the last games of the season. If both teams won, Man City would have won the title due to the tie breaker.
Manchester City was playing QPR. QPR was a bottom of the table team, a team City should have easily dismantled. Manchester City help their own fate in their hand, win the game, win the title!
City scores a first half goal and goes into half time 1-0. I have my laptop open to the Manchester United game as well. Manchester tied with Sunderland at half. I am feeling good but still uneasy.
Early in the 2nd half, QPR scores to tie the game 1-1. This means that at this point, Manchester United has the title if the game ended in a tie. Man. U. is up 1-0 on Sunderland and looking strong. I am screaming at the defense, the TV, out the windows, HOW CAN YOU LET THAT HAPPEN!!
10 minutes later (58th minute of the 90+ min. game), QPR receives a red card, the player is ejected! I cheer and dance thinking this is our opportunity! We have to score!
66th minute: Typical City! A substitute for QPR goes on a crazy run down the left, beating City's usually reliable center-back wonderfully. He then sends a cross to the far post and with City's defence all over the shop, QPR forward sends a header down into the ground and up into the net, past Joe Hart, City's goalie! This is astonishing. There are Manchester City fans in tears. Their team now needs to find two goals against 10 men in the next 24 minutes. My jersey is now in the trash can.
Manchester United's game ends first. United wins 1-0 and with City losing 2-1 with 5+ minutes of extra left, United stars celebrating. I am irate at this point. About to turn the TV off.
Then Dzeko is subbed in....
A soccer game is 90 minutes but with subs, ball going out of play, and fouls, extra time is applied. 5 minutes were added onto this game.
92nd minute, corner kick, Dzeko's first involvement in play....GOOOOOOAAAALLL!! He smashes a header into the net, collects the ball and sprints back to midfield to get the kickoff started quickly.
I cheer but know that with 3 minutes left, scoring again is unlikely to happen. I put my jersey back on and prepare for the sad end to an amazing season.
94th minute, City is dancing around the edge of the penalty area trying to gain an opportunity for a shot. All of a sudden, Ballotelli (who I hated most of the season) is able to collect the ball among two or three QPR defenders and get the slightest touch to Aguero.
I start standing up and inch closer to the TV.
Aguero beats a defender near the 6 yard box, I am hoooold my breath.
Aguero rips a shots, near post, and..
GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!! Aguero has scored virtually game winning, championship clinching, most iconic goal in Manchester City history!
I could not believe it! I had to watch replays and highlights for days following the game to make sure it was real.
If you have 10 minutes, watch the video below. This video will show you the incredible ending to the game.
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