Top Ten: Football Comebacks

Over the last month there have been a few notable comebacks; Arsenal coming from four goals down to beat Reading, Chelsea’s incredible Capital One cup victory against Manchester united and even as recently as the weekend just gone United’s very own turnaround away at Aston Villa.

In a period where it seems a game is very rarely done and dusted until the final whistle blows Tibs News examines the top ten footballing comebacks of all time:

10: Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal (Premier League – 1999)

This was one of the modern day Premier League great games, Chelsea took a two-goal lead courtesy of strikes by Tore Andre Flo and Dan Petrescu to seemingly hand the blues all three points with half an hour to play.

One man though was not to be denied victory.

Step forward Nwankwo Kanu; the Nigerian scored a hat-trick in the final 15 minutes to snatch an incredible win from the jaws of a certain defeat for his side.

This performance alone leaves the forward as something of a cult hero amongst gunners fans and is certainly one of the stand-out individual displays seen in the Premier League.

9: North Korea 3-5 Portugal (World Cup quarter final – 1966)

The result of this match is not perhaps too much of a surprise on first viewing, but it was the backdrop to which the match’s circumstances were played that makes this a significant Portuguese win.

It was secretly hoped by the British government that North Korea would not qualify for the tournament to begin with as it was felt it would create ‘political headaches’.

Once they were there though, the Koreans set about their business with surprising class, reaching the quarter finals where they were to meet a Eusebio inspired Portugal.

Amazingly against all odds North Korea found themselves 3-0 up and cruising through to the semi-finals before the magician Eusebio scored four goals to turn the game on its head.

A fifth from Jose Augusto completed the turnaround and the government breathed a collective sigh of relief.

8: Liverpool 3-3 West Ham (FA cup final – 2006)

Liverpool were seeming finished in the 2006 FA cup final at 3-2 down to a Dean Ashton inspired West Ham United and heading into stoppage time.

One man wasn’t quite ready to succumb though; that man, as it so often has been for the reds over the years, was a certain Steven Gerrard.

The midfield dynamo was sprawled on the turf when his team launched one last hopeful attack.

By the end of that very same attack Gerrard had hauled himself up and with one swing of his magical right foot had planted the ball past a helpless Shaka Hislop from fully 35 yards to drag his side level.

Liverpool went on to win the cup on penalties but the 2006 final quickly became remembered more specifically as the ‘Gerrard final’.

7: Newcastle 4-4 Arsenal (Premier League – 2011)

Newcastle United, freshly back in the Premier League after a season in the championship, went into their match with title contenders Arsenal with high hopes after beating their opponents in the earlier season contest 1-0 at the Emirates stadium.

Before long though, it appeared the gunners would be getting their revenge and in some style.

Arsene Wenger’s men were 4-0 up at half time and seemingly cruising to a vital three points, before the unthinkable came to pass.

Two Joey Barton penalties along with a Leon Best strike pulled the home side to within a point of their opponents before an outstanding Cheik Tiote volley claimed an incredible point for the magpies.

All the goals coming in just a 19 minute period and left the St. James’ Park faithful delirious.

6: Tottenham 3-4 Manchester City (FA cup fourth round replay – 2004)

In the days when both these sides were relatively happy to just accept mid-table mediocrity the FA cup was a tournament that offered a welcome genuine chance of silverware, and it showed.

After a relatively poor game at the City of Manchester stadium in the original match, the replay would not disappoint.

At half time Tottenham were cruising and 3-0 up following strikes by Ledley King, Robbie Keane and Christian Ziege. The second half however, was a completely different story.

First Sylvain Distin pulled on back before Paul Bosvelt and Shaun Wright-Phillips levelled the scores.

Incredibly Manchester-born Jonathan Macken then converted a chance to put City 4-3 up and it was a lead the Eastland’s club would not surrender.

 5: Blackpool 4-3 Bolton (FA cup final – 1953)

The ‘Stanley Matthews’ final’ is still remembered fondly even to this day, almost 60 years on.

With his side 3-1 down to Lancashire neighbours Bolton Wanderers Matthews produced a performance that inspired the seasiders to victory.

Despite the heroics and creativity of the winger it was actually his partner in crime Stan Mortensen who claimed a hat-trick before a 92^nd minute Bill Perry turned the game on its head.

It was the first time that Blackpool had claimed the biggest domestic trophy on offer in England and they have never won it again since.

4: Arsenal 4-4 Tottenham (Premier league – 2008)

It was Harry Redknapp’s first North London derby in charge of Tottenham, and what a game it was too.

The match swayed one way and then the other throughout with Spurs taking the lead through former Gunner David Bentley before strikes from Mikael Silvestre, William Gallas and Emmanuel Adebayor made it 3-1 to the home side.

Darren Bent pulled one back for Tottenham but a Robin van Persie strike looked to have sealed all three points for Arsene Wenger’s gunners.

Then, as injury-time loomed, Jermaine Jenas curled in a magnificent strike to give the visitors hope before incredibly Aaron Lennon levelled the scores with the last kick of the game.

3: Tottenham 3-5 Manchester United (Premier League – 2001)

At number three its another match involving Tottenham as they capitulated once more to a team from Manchester.

This time it was united who broke the White Hart Lane side’s hearts in the early noughties.

Spurs got off to an incredible start and were 3-0 up going into half time following goals by debutant Dean Richards, Les Ferdinand and Christian Ziege before the visitors clicked into gear.

Strikes by Andy Cole, Laurent Blanc, Ruud van Nistelrooy tied the match before Juan Sebastian Veron and David Beckham completed the stunning turnaround.

2: Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich (Champions League final -1999)

Perhaps not the biggest comeback in terms of the amount of goals required to complete it but the stature of the game coupled with the timing of the goals puts this in at number two.

United were 1-0 down in the Nou Camp going into injury time but what was to happen next was to be beggar’s belief.

First Teddy Sherringham grabbed an equaliser before a last ditch Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finish sent the English club and its fans into delirium.

On a fantastic night in Spain that strike also meant that the red devils became the first (and only to date) side to claim the treble of the English title, FA cup and European cup in the same season.

1: Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (Champions League final – 2005)

This was the ultimate in ‘do you remember where were you when it happened?’ finals and quite simply one of the most awesome football matches ever to have graced the game.

Going into the game Liverpool were being written off by everybody as to their chances of actually winning against a side of the class and superiority of AC Milan.

The first half did nothing to dismantle the belief that this was to be a walk in the park for the Italians as a Paolo Maldini strike gave them the lead before two Hernan Crespo goals made it 3-0 going into the break.

At this stage the Anfield club were down and out but what was to happen next stunned not only Europe, but the world over.

Firstly Steven Gerrard pulled a header back for the reds before a Vladimir Smicer screamer and Xabi Alonso followed up his own missed penalty to amazingly drag the reds to parity once more.

Milan were shell shocked and the game went to penalties where Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek performed his famous ‘Grobbelaar’ wobbly legs and helped his side claim a fifth European cup in what has to be the most sensational final of recent years.

By Jack Murphy

Twitter: J_Murphy91