The 10 greatest chokes in the history of football
We have Germany in International Football, South Africa in Cricket and countless other examples to personify the word ‘choke’ in International Sports. Let us now take a look at the 10 Greatest Chokes in the history of modern football.
How often do you see a team go on to draw a game after leading it 4-0 inside the first thirty minutes?
Arsenal went back to their dressing room at St. James’ Park very satisfied at the end of the first 45 minutes. No one would have predicted what happened in the next 45. At the 50th minute, Arsenal’s Abou Diaby was sent off. Still, scoring four goals, even against 10 men in forty minutes is not an easy task.
The stunning comeback!
After 75 minutes, Newcastle had scored two goals through a Joey Barton spot kick and a Leon Best header. Then began the most electrifying 15 minutes that the EPL has ever seen. Barton slotted home his second penalty of the day and in the 87th minute, Cheik Tiote ripped a volley from a corner to make it 4-4.
In hindsight, Arsenal were lucky not to lose that game. That game began Arsenal’s choke, as they went from being two points away from Manchester United at the time, to end the season 12 points behind them.
All you need to do is to place the ball inside the net from 12 yards to win the biggest prize in Europe. It was destiny that was calling John Terry.
John Terry slips
Dubbed as “Mr.Chelsea” by the fans, John Terry stepped in to take the final penalty shot for his team against Manchester United in the finals of the 2008 Champions League.
Terry began his run up, kicked the ball and slipped on the wet turf of Moscow. The ball went wide. The rest as they say is history.