A New Record at Do Dragao!

2 -2 at Old Trafford, Manchester. That was the score which was on every United player's mind. They knew they had to do something almost impossible, win at the Do Dragao which no other English team had managed to do. Porto, on the other side was high in confidence since in Manchester earlier they proved that they weren't pushovers. And playing in front of their home crowd, it looked like for 5 minutes into the game that Lady Luck was on their side. 

Why was it only for 5 minutes? Since the first five minutes of the game were filled with tremendous strikes by Porto players. Bruno Alves almost got lucky when his pass went directly into the net but unfortunately for him, Edwin van der Sar was there to clutch it and to save it. Lady Luck seemed to be smiling on to the Blues that night but a devil cast Lady Luck to shift her attention to the lads of Manchester. Started by a pin-point pass from Anderson, intercepted by Ronaldo and from 40 meters, Ronaldo struck the ball with huge confidence and without thinking and to everyone's surprise, the ball curled and ended in Porto's goal. Helton, the goalkeeper tried as hard as he could to reach the ball but that ball was beyond reach and was pure magnificent. "That was one of the best goals I've ever seen in the world", Sir Alex said and he was correct. That magnificent strike silenced the whole crowd at the Do Dragao, putting them all in a state of amazement. The Wonderkid from Portugal had done it again!

After the goal came, players of Man United knew it was their ticket to the semifinals. Realizing that they could be the first English team winning at the Do Dragao, Man United played an unusual style of defensive playing. They were threatened by numerous attempts from the Portuguese side but the calmness and the magnificence of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic at the back kept the players of Porto unable to score. Also, Edwin van der Sar was there too to secure his first clean-sheet since the 11th of March. Therefore, Edwin van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were the ones to thank for this massively huge win. 

It was the quitest game that night in Europe. Only one goal scored and only  3-2 on aggregate, Man United were through to the semis with the lowest goal productivity. But as Scholes had said earlier before the game, "It doesn't matter if you concede as long as you score more goals than you concede goals. It doesn't matter not to have a clean-sheet as long as you win the game." Those words surely inspired Man United that night. A rock solid defense and a brilliant strike ended Porto's run this year. Jose Gomes, Porto's manager said after the game, "To lose like this is not embarrassing. To lose to probably the best team in the world can't be reckoned as shameful. We were beaten by a brilliant strike by today's best player in the world. This is probably the best way to lose to a champion."

Now, it's Man United vs Arsenal and Chelsea vs. Barcelona. Finals in the semifinals. The Road to Rome is still opened and 2 teams from these 4 are to compete there, to be crowned as the 2008/2009 Champions League winner. Which are those 2 teams? We'll see about that and finally, SEE YOU in ROME. MAY GOD BLESS THE CHAMPIONS.  

The Brilliance of Youth at the Emirates

1 - 1 was the score at El Madrigal, Spain. Wednesday, 15th of April 2009 at 20.45 was the time for Arsenal to face the Yellow Submarines, Villarreal. Monsier Wenger, the manager of Arsenal picked a team with an average of 23, the youngest team playing in this year's Champions League quarterfinals. On the other side of the field, Manuel Pellegrini picked a team fully loaded by South American talents, a team which looked promising to provide a shock here at the Emirates. 

The match started then and it was fully loaded with brilliance. Early strikes from Van Persie, Walcott, Adebayor, and Nasri was not enough to break Villarreal's wall. Diego Lopez, as the keeper, was also on his top form. Those early strikes were breathtaking but Lopez was always capable of saving his net and keeping his clean-sheet in those early minutes. All sounded well but a pass from Eboue to Fabregas was continues with a back heel pass to Walcott who managed to escape from the off-side trap. Then, what happened was a beautiful lob, high and accurate ripped apart Villarreal's heart since Walcott put an early end to Lopez's hope for a clean-sheet. "The Brilliance of Youth", the commentator described about this goal and it was magnificently splendid for it showed that you can win with kids.

The rlast 30 minutes of the first half was also filled with actions. Strikes from various players from both teams really test both goalkeepers, Lukasz Fabianski of Arsenal and Diego Lopez of Villarreal but to everyone's disappointment, there weren't any more goals during the first half. 

The second half started 15 minutes later and Villarreal was more determined than ever to turn things up. Shots filled the first minutes of the half but at the 60th minute, a clever on-ball move by Robin van Persie dragged 2 players to him then he smartly passed the ball to Emmanuel Adebayor, who was unguarded. He then calmly performed a shot with the outer side of his right foot, smashing the ball into the corner of Diego Lopez's net. 2 - 0 for Arsenal and everyone knew it was approved. Arsenal were through to the next round.

But Arsenal weren't satisfied yet. A smart move by Walcott in the penalty box provocated Gonzalo to foul him and to everybody's surprise, Wolfgang Stark, the referee pointed to the spot. Penalty for Arsenal and to worsen things, Eguren was booked for the second time and he was awarded with a red card. Manuel Pellegrini was hopeless. Most likely to be 3 -0 down in just a matter of seconds and with only 10 players, this was a mission impossible.

IN! Robin van Persie executed the penalty perfectly, sending the ball beyond Lopez's reach. 3 -0 at the Emirates and everyone agreed, "We're going to see an all-English semi here!" The game then ended 21 minutes later and Arsenal were through to the semifinals, facing either Man United or Porto as their opponent. 

Bavaria Reigns No More!

4 - 0 at Nou Camp. FC Bayern Muenchen were on an almost difficult task at the Allianz Arena where they had to at least score 4 goals to ensure their chances of qualifying to the next round. 60000 supporters packed the Allianz Arena in Muenchen to provide an intense atmosphere for both teams. Juergen Klinsmann, said that it was still possible to turn things over but the stats weren't behind him.

The match started at 20.45 German time and only within 6 minutes, Luca Toni almost provided Muenchen an early hope. His timely header touched the ball but sent the ball into the wrong direction. For once, the crowd were silenced. Muenchen then after realizing that they can still snatch something here kept being offensive. Luca Toni was almost hailed as the savior if his goal hadn't been disallowed by the linesmen. 

Time was tickling and it was tickling slowly. Barcelona, who showed to the world that they can be both good in defensive and offensive, didn't try to snatch a goal here. They were just playing safe and to no one's surprise, they did it brilliantly. But Barca's brilliance were then questioned when a tremendous through ball got intercepted by Franck Ribery and his calmness put the ball into the net. Barca was not calm any longer. Things weren't like they wanted them to. They needed a goal here and that goal by Ribery, was more than enough to tell Barca that they needed to do something here.

Apart from Barca's awakening, Muenchen had other problems too. Their offensive lines weren't offensive enough to penetrate through Barca's defense and their appetite for a second goal left a large hole at the back. Seydou Keita, from the edge of the box, took advantage of Muenchen's failure to clear off the ball by smashing an accurate strike into Hans J Butt's net. It was game over suddenly for the Bavarians. For once they thought they might be lucky enough to get goals, the next moment they realized it was the end. 5 -1 on aggregate now and Barca was on their journey to the last four. 

Then, to Muenchen's devastation, the last 27 minutes of the game were not on their side. They couldn't do anything to at least provide another shock for the Catalans instead they were drowning in their inability to convert chances into goals. Then at the 90th minute, the sound of the final whistle put an end to Muenchen's great run in this year's Champions League. They were out and Barca on the other side was dancing jubilantly. Barcelona next, are to fact to Chelsea on either the 28th of the 29th of April. Surely, the semifinal involving Chelsea and Barcelona could be this year's early final. 

Chelsea vs. Liverpool, the Greatest Champions League Game Ever!

Liverpool 1 - Chelsea 3. That was the score before the match started. That was the score which showed Chelsea's brilliance at The Kop 6 days earlier when they thrashed Liverpool 3 - 1. At The Kop, Chelsea was pretty dominant and Liverpool was hoping that the match would end quickly. But, at the day of the match at Stamford Bridge, London, things weren't the same. Guus Hiddink's team, were looking to defend and to maintain their lead while Rafael Benitez's men were looking to be offensive and trying to keep their chances of qualifying to the next round high.

The match started. Chelsea, playing a bit defensive, were threatened by early efforts from Liverpool's greatest talents. Yet again, Chelsea were caught napping. A few minutes after that, following a foul by Lampard, Liverpool was given a free kick. Cech and other Chelsea players were hoping for a lob from Fabio Aurelio to the penalty box where the ball would be scrambled away but Fabio Aurelio had another thing inside his mind. Judging that Cech was a little bit to the left, he cleverly kicked the ball and placed an accurate shot into the near post. Cech who had gone to one way, didn't have enough time to go to the other way. One nil for Liverpool. The crowd went into pandemonium as the crowd began to think that Liverpool might just have the chance to pull one back and to get level on the aggregate. 

Liverpool got lucky again few minutes after that. Branislav Ivanovic committed a foul after holding on to Xabi Alonso's shirt, avoiding him from smashing the ball to the net. It was seen by the linesman and Liverpool were awarded with a penalty. Xabi Alonso, the one who was fouled, didn't give any chance for Petr Cech to guess the right direction. The ball went to the right while Cech went to the left. 2 - 0 Liverpool, level on aggregate and only the away goals rules putted Chelsea's nose still a little bit in front.

Second half was promising. Guus Hiddink brought changes. He replaced Salomon Kalou, the Nigerian with Nicolas Anelka, the Frenchman. Anelka then brought a sudden impact on the team. His penetrating run on the left flank of Liverpool's defense, exposing their weaknesses resulted in a cross into the penalty box and a slight touch from Didier Drogba made Reina look clumsy and foolish. Instead of trying to tip away the ball, Reina tried to catch and this decision proved lethal since he instead of catching it, he putted it into his own net. 2 -1 for Liverpool but no longer level on aggregate. The lead was now swinging back to Chelsea's favor and Liverpool were forced to be more offensive.

2 -1 didn't stay long. A free kick from Alex went over the wall of Liverpool's player, heading right into the centre of the goal and it went it. Reina, who once were flying and trying to tip away the ball didn't actually manage to do it. Liverpool's players were in a deep shock while Chelsea's players were dancing in jubilance. 2 -2 now and everything can happen. Chelsea has surely got the passport to the last four.

Lampard then provided the third blow. His shot from 3 yards out, was blocked by Reina but wasn't completely blocked. It slipped through Reina's arms and now, it was Blue at Stamford Bridge which turned into a pandemonium. 3 -2 for Chelsea. From 2 - 0 down, now 3 -2 up. But, Liverpool weren't out. Lucas Leiva, made a shot into the net but it was deflected by the chest of Essien which sent the ball into the net, leaving Cech in a deep state of disbelief.

Then, like it was not enough yet, Kuyt smashed a header into the net for the fourth time. 4 -3 now and the momentum had shifted back into Liverpool's favor. They felt that they could actually finish this job here! But, at the 89th minute it was a no-go. Lampard, smashing a shot from the edge of the penalty box, went right into the post of Reina's goal, bounced into the other post and surely went in. 4 -4 now and only one minute left in normal time. Liverpool were out surely and it proved to be so, since there were no more goals at the end of the match. 4-4 at Stamford Bridge, 7 -5 on aggregate. Chelsea cruised to the next round with poise. 

KIKO was Definitely the KEY

Hooray!!! At last!! A win at the Stadium of Light, provided by the magical Kiko Macheda!! A name most of us wouldn't have heard 2 weeks ago is now the provider of Man United's last 2 wins at the English Premier League. This 17-year-old is truly magical. Recruited from Man United's U-18 team, he could now be an important sub for the Red Devils. 

The game was a devastating game from start to finish for the Devils. An early effort from Man United was only putted away from goal by a block done by Calum Davenport. Moments later, Djibril Cisse, the Frenchman, almost gave Man United a shock when he made Foster do his best to keep his net clean. However, it didn't take long for Man United to find the first breakthrough. The mix of young talent, great striker, and a flamboyant midfielder - Rooney, Berbatov and Scholes, gave Man United the first lead at the 19th minute. It was a well-earned lead but yet vulnerable. 

Vulnerable yes indeed. After the first goal, the Black Cats Sunderland grew in confidence and plenty of shocks filled the game, with both goalkeepers feeling completely gifted not to concede any goals. Man United was put into a state of fear when 3 chances of Sunderland went too close and Craig Gordon, at the other side, was also relieved not to pick up a ball from behind his net. 

The first half then ended, assuring that the second half would only be much better.

11 minutes into the second half, a shock for Man United came. Jones, from Sunderland, converted a magnificent cross into a goal, leaving Foster to his amazement. But, Man United was again incredible. The crown turned into pandemonium when a long-range effort from Michael Carrick was blasted and ricochet off Federico "Kiko" Macheda, leaving the helpless Craig Gordon who went the wrong way. Deliberately or not, it was a gift for Man United and now they had earned back their vital lead.

The last fifteen minutes of the game was suspense but still, the brilliance of Man United put them 2 points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League. Another game down, another 3 points got. 7 games left. Who will be the champions of England? Man United surely looks to be the greatest contender for the title. Let's just hope that there will be cheers at the end of the season at Old Trafford.

Viva Man United!

Glory, glory, Man United

Glory, glory, Man United

Glory, glory, Man United

And the reds go marching on, on, on...

Angels and Demons, from Kevin Dominique's perspective..

The book Angels and Demons caught my eye at Changi Airport, Singapore.. I bought that book, author Dan Brown, at Times News Link store in Singapore and once I arrived at home, I started to read it. At first, it was nothing really, nothing special but time passed by and I suddenly realized that this is not an ordinary book. It can be said a mere ridicule to the Roman Catholic church since in that book, there were stories that I had never heard of about the Roman Catholic church and most of the stories were about the negative sides of the church. I tried not to believe those stories but I don't know how and why but I simply started to believe that some of the facts presented in the book were truth.

The book was incredibly great from start to finish. It provided tensity and great atmosphere that made me keep reading page after page of the book. The story was actually quite simple. A group called the Illuminati were trying to eradicate the Roman Catholic church from the face of the world by placing a bomb in the Vatican city, at the heart of the church itself, beneath the St. Peter Basilica, next to the tomb of St. Peter himself. In the story, Robert Langdon as the main protagonist tried to solve the mystery before the time ran out by tracing the traces of ancient Illuminati clues. It was a hard and tense journey but at the end, he with other members of the Vatican authorities managed to find the bomb and dispose it. It was a startling journey from start to finish, I can say. The story was full of revenge, anger and conspiracy but on the other hand, it was also about love and friendship. 

About the language used in the book, I could say that it was pretty interesting since it was not hard but also not easy. It was moderate and no extra efforts are needed to understand the  whole story of the book. All in all, it was a great book and surely a great entertainment for book readers out there. But, I have something to tell you that it is not a book suitable for those who are looking for easy entertainment. There are facts in this book and most of these facts are facts that can be said, are against the laws and accepted facts. Also, there are facts that are against the church so that you'd better have a deep understanding about the way the church of Christians work before you read this book because whether you realize it or not, it can somehow brain-wash you. But, apart from this phenomenon, this book is still full of suspense and a book worth reading..

See you! In my next book report! hee hee!! 

Where are you going Man United?

This could be the most unpredictable run of Man United I've ever seen. A few weeks ago, they were thrashed by Liverpool 4-1 at Old Trafford. An unbelievable score that shocked everyone, including me. Then a week after that miserable lost at The Theatre of Dreams, Man United travelled to Craven Cottage, where they had a match against the Londoners, Fulham. Yet again, Man United's defense were broken down and as the consequences, they were beaten by Rob Hodgson's side 2-0. Devastating and yet miserable. 

Then it came. Last week, 4th of July 2009, at Old Trafford Stadium Manchester United went back to their sacred home ground facing the mighty Villas, Aston Villa. Stunned by an early strike by Villa and also Villa's performance that putted them 2-1 leading at the first half, Man United reacted in a way that had been lost for quite a while. Cristiano Ronaldo and Federico "Kiko" Macheda brought the game beyond hand and into Man United's favour. 3-2 the final score and Macheda was haled as the man of the match. A perfect debut, a perfect goal and a perfect performance by the youngster. 

Then another disappointment came for the fans. A 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Tuesday night against Porto caused fans to become more and more disappointed. I was disappointed too since I was actually hoping for a comfortable win for Man United. Tevez's late strike at the 85th minute wasn't enough to shift the momentum to Man United's side. In my opinion, they were still not the best team that night. There was something missing from them which I can't actually describe. A boost in morale maybe since after that big loss from Liverpool, it has always seemed hard for Man United to get things back to their normal condition. 

I am praying right now that God would give Man United a win at the Stadium of Light tonight. At the moment I'm writing this posting, the score is still level at 1-1 and I can hope for nothing but a goal for Man United. I can only hope that tonight's match can end Man United's drought, hunger and thirst for a comfortable and convincing win. 

WHERE ARE YOU GOING MAN UNITED? I can only hope that you're still going on the right patch, the path of champions. Good luck... and remember, Once a champion, always a champion! Even though you might not see where you're going right now, try and keep trying so that you can still on the path of glory, triumph and joy!

Viva Man United!

The True Gift, The Tragedy, The True Solution

What's a gift? A gift is something given. It's a simple as that. But, how about the true gift? In Christianity, the true gift is very simple but also very complex. The true gift in Christianity if salvation. Why is it called "The True Gift"? Are there any other "true gifts"? For Christians, there is not. Why isn't there any other true gifts? It's because the true gift is from God. God only gives us one way, one chance to restore the broken relationship between Him and us and the way and the chance is through salvation. Only one way. Only one chance. Only ONE TRUE GIFT. 

But, the tragedy behind the salvation from God to human occurred just after God created man. He created Adam and Eve, together they lived side by side, supporting each other. But, the tragedy came when the serpent, a snake, came and convinced Eve to break God's law. Strangely, Eve never hesitated to break the law because she, after meeting the snake, went unsure about God's commands ad she doubted it. The rest is history. Eve ate the fruit and then she gave it to Adam and they both sinned. They were punished and because of their sin, we now have a sinful nature. 

What's the meaning of sin actually? The Greek word used to describe "sin" actually means "to miss the mark". So, we can conclude that by sinning, we have actually missed God's intention in creating us. We have failed to obey God and by missing the mark and the commandments of our Creator, we are to be punished and we deserve it. But, the true solution then came. Man can only earn salvation if he's sinless. But, no man is sinless. We are all sinful. So, God gave us the solution for this problem. It's our Lord and the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, salvation for man was made possible. Through faith in Jesus, we can redeem ourselves and God's solution, by sending Jesus Christ to this sinful world, has reconciled man and made man acceptable once more. 

But, is the true solution free? It's free, when you believe in Jesus. That's the thing which is amazing about our God. He's so holy, sovereign and just but He's also loving and merciful. How could He actually sacrifice His own son for creatures that are not even worthy enough to be a part of God's concern! But He cares about us. He has already loved us before we even knew He existed. Before we even realized His presence. He has already been our and only Father. 

So, what I can say here is that as a Christian whose life has been saved through faith in Jesus, we should be grateful. Not just grateful but most grateful. The salvation is so priceless that we can't pay for it yet God grant it for free! If you were a man  with high IQ knew about Christ, I would love and surely say that you are a stupid if you don't believe in Him! So, think about it and remember, today could be your last day on earth. Why risking going to hell if you  can go to heaven? It's easy. Just open your heart and say, I believe in you, Jesus and I want you to be my savior and my one and only Lord.

Ephesians 2:8-9

  

For it's by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it's the gift of God - not by works so that no one can boast.