In honour of the transfer of a true Premier League great in Sergio Agüero, here is a little piece written on my personal favourite moment in the history of the best league in the world. (quite biased from a City fan I must say).
93:20. A moment etched into the hearts of all City fans – even if they did start supporting in 2011. An ignominious, quite surreal moment which shakes the hearts of City fans and neutrals alike when mentioned. If I was ever asked to epitomize the phrase “swings and roundabouts” I would probably describe this match, the way Pablo Zabaleta, an unfamiliar face in front of goal for City, popped up with a 39th minute goal which looked to have given City the advantage and then, within three minutes of the break, City were pinned back and found themselves behind courtesy of goals from Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie. This was honestly a game which had it all. Drama, a red card, Joey Barton being needlessly violent, the threat of going down to the Championship, extra time which felt like an eternity, the commentary from Martin Tyler engraved into every fan’s head and most certainly the rise of a blue moon which had not been seen 44 years prior to that fateful day at the Etihad Stadium.
The drama and action the final minutes entailed were not the only factors contributing to the magnitude of this event when looking at the moment; it was the sheer irony. The fact that City had gone and clinched the title on the last day of the season in what could only be known as “Fergie Time”. With Manchester United convinced they were league winners at the time, it was up to city who threw the kitchen sink at QPR and finally got their headed goal from Edin Dzeko and the famous goal from Argentine superstar Sergio Agüero. THAT goal also happened to be Mario Balotelli’s only career assist to that date and what an assist it proved to be.
Football will always offer emotion, tension, and tug on the heart strings of those who are passionate enough to endure 90 minutes, and extra time, of pure madness and being so absorbed into the game all your worries are alleviated. On the outside it may seem like 20 men chasing a ball around a field with 2 standing inside some sticks, but as fans, we can assure you:
This sport is beautiful.
“I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again – so watch it, drink it in” – Martin Tyler, Commentary.
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