It appears we have seen a shift in the world power, as slight as it might be, when it comes to the most popular sport outside of North America.
This week was a huge moment for the Bundesliga, the elite soccer division in Germany. On Wednesday, when Bayern Munich trounced FC Barcelona 3-0, it set up an all-German Champions League Final for the first time.
On May 25 at London’s Wembley Stadium, Bayern Munich will play Borussia Dortmund for the 2013 Champions League Title.
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Soccer can be a very boring sport with not much ebb and flow throughout.
Nothing much was going on for the first 82 minutes. Bayern Munich dominated the play with 26 shots that went toward the Chelsea net, compared to Chelsea’s mere six. But many were not very good chances. One Bayern Munich goal early in the second half was called off because a player was offside.
All changed in the 83rd minute, when Thomas Muller scored for Bayern, and then it was all drama. Chelsea would tie the game on a brilliant header by Didier Drogba to send the game to overtime with only two minutes left.
In the extra period, Chelsea goaltender Peter Cech made an outstanding save off of Arjen Robben on a penalty kick after Drogba fouled Franck Ribery in the box.
The Drogba foul on Ribery was interesting because both players are French and Euro 2012 is only 18 days away.
For the first time in franchise history, the Edmonton Rush are in championship game. Tonight in New York state, the Rush take on the Rochester Knighthawks for the 2012 Champion’s Cup (Shaw HD, 5:30pm).
Now I’m not a huge supporter of a team with a losing record in the regular season making the playoffs, as the Rush were 6-10 and in fourth place in the Western Division, but you have to give the team credit for getting hot at just the right time.
Fernando Torres (George Lynch, Wikimedia Commons)
There was a monumental upset in Barcelona, Spain on Tuesday. Chelsea defeated FC Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate to advance to the Champions League Final in Munich, Germany on May 19.
Chelsea, which led 1-0 heading into Tuesday’s action, seemed to have their chances of qualifying in the championship game diminished when they fell 2-0 and saw captain John Terry red carded for a first half foul.
But Chelsea showed an enormous amount of resiliency with one man down. Ramires put Chelsea in the driver’s seat with a goal right before half time. With this goal, Chelsea tied the two game total point series at two, but gave Chelsea the edge because they scored more road goals.
After FC Barcelona dominated the second half, Fernando Torres scored on a breakaway in injury time to give Chelsea the 3-2 win.
It is interesting because even though FC Barcelona dominated the play over the 180+ minutes, Chelsea’s roster is strong. In addition to Torres and Terry, they have Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Peter Cech.
Jurgen Klinsmann (Wikimedia Commons)
American soccer has made a significant coaching change today.
Out is Bob Bradley and in is German Juergen Klinsmann.
I was very surprised that Bradley was the head coach of the American soccer program for as long as he was.
He has been their head coach since 2006, and oversaw an American team that lost 2-1 to Ghana in the round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
After failing to win the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and watching the United States blow an early 2-0 lead to Mexico, the writing seemed to be on the wall.
The other reason I was surprised to see Bradley be coaching the American soccer team is because his son Michael has been on the National Team since 2006 as well, so the conflict of interest factor has always been on the outside minds of many analysts.
After guiding Germany to a third place finish at the 2006 World Cup, Klinsmann coached Bayern Munich for two years before taking on a consulting job with Toronto FC in MLS. He is very knowledgeable about American soccer, as he lives with his wife, Chinese American supermodel Debbie Chin, in Huntington Beach, California.
Out of Luck?
Once regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, Owen Hargreaves is now unsure where, or when he’ll play next.
The 30-year-old left his home in Calgary fourteen years ago to try his luck with German club Bayern Munich, a move that paid off greatly. He won four league titles and a Champions League medal with that club, before being sold for massive money to English giants Manchester United in 2007. There, he won another Champions League trophy in his first season at Old Trafford, along with an EPL title…but that is where his luck would end.
The England international developed tendonitis in his knee the following season, and after appearing in 34 games in 2007-08, he would feature just five times over the next three years. In fact, he lasted just five minutes in his lone appearance last season, with a hamstring injury as the culprit this time around.
Needless to say, Man U didn’t offer Hargreaves a new contract this summer, but he’s not taking it lying down! (AFTER THE JUMP: Hargreaves gets creative, Swedish jersey swap, sick Gongshow vid) (more…)
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