The greatest comebacks of all time?

Davidth88

Going back a looooooong time.... I was still at school !

Chelsea were sh*t , I mean very very very poor , it was mid October we had not yet won at home.

We are playing Bolton , we are 3 nil down with 20 mins to go ( or something like that ) ..... we win 4-3 , I think Clive Walker came on as a ' super sub '.

Ok I have just shown my age.

If I remember there were about 19k people there , and that was one of our bigger gates that season !

In modern terms, Chelsea beating Liverpool in the FA cup back in 97 .

To settle the arguements , of the the two CL final comebacks , the Manure one wins for me , incredible game I was actually shouting for them in the end ( to my enternal shame ! )

gosplan

Sorry but it is.

You can get a sweet draw, luck on your side in a few games and win the thing.

The reason Rafa has such a good record is that he makes pool incredibly hard to beat. They defend like lions, don't give away goals and basically don't lose games.

The problem when you transfer this to the Pl is that they pick up too many draws.

To win the CL you need to not lose

To win the Pl you need to win...lots

patmac

I remebered this from before and had to google it to find it (thought it was mid 90's) truly astonishing. LOL at the 4th goal scorer in the second leg.


Bayer Uerdingen - Dynamo Dresden 0:2 and 7:3 (1986)
Dresden were hot favourites ever since the draw paired them with lowly Bayer Uerdingen, which had upset Bayern Munich in the German Cup a year earlier. A team of numerous East German stars (Hans-Jürgen Dorner, Ulf Kirsten, Mathias Sammer, Reinhard Hafner, Ralf Minge, Torsten Gütschow and others) built a 2-0 lead in the first leg at home and then ran away with a solid 3-1 lead at half time, seemingly clinching the tie in the return game at Krefeld.

5-1 ahead on aggregate, Dynamo could afford to concede four goals and still progress to the semifinals, but what did anybody know of what was going to happen in the second half. Deep into the second half, to be precise. The 1-3 scoreline on the night still stood after 57 minutes and no-one alive could have imagined the shocking turn of events to come in the rest of the game.

It took a strange penalty to shatter Dynamo's composure. The Icelander Gudmundsson won that dubious penalty kick, which Wolfgang Funkel converted and inexplicably confused the visitors. When six minutes later Gudmundsson himself made it 3-3, Dynamo panicked as if they still didn't have a two goal cushion. Then the unlucky forward Minge deflected a shot into his own net, and the Easterners found themselves utterly disoriented amidst roars from the partisan crowd. Bayer attacked in waves and the reserve Klinger brought the temperature to boiling point with the fifth goal 12 minutes from time.

Dynamo were still ahead on the away-goals rule, but at the time it was clear they were not going to make it.

Schäfer was knocked down in the area and Wolfgang Funkel again scored from the spot, making it 6-3 only 23 minutes after the scoreboard had shown the humiliating 1-3. Before the final whistle, in the total confusion, Schäfer picked up the seventh goal, ending up on the shoulders of his mates and the fans who invaded the pitch.

And to think that no-ne in Bayer's dressing room dared to think of a comeback during half time.

"We said to each other, 'OK, we're out, but let us bid farewell to the Euro-Cup with dignity. No-one will ever be able to explain how this turnaround ocurred," said the coach Karl-Heinz Feldkamp after the game.

Dresden's coach Klaus Sammer, young Matthias's father, did not try to find an excuse in his son's early injury or in the dismal performance of reserve keeper Jens Ramme, who came on for also injured first choice keeper Jakubowski. After such a disaster no excuses could do. To complete Dresden's misery, their forward Frank Lippman left the hotel after the game and defected to the West, in order to play for Nürnberg and Waldhof.

First leg March 5, 1986, Dresden (GDR) - Dynamo-Stadion.
SG Dynamo Dresden (GDR) - FC Bayer 05 Uerdingen (FRG) 2-0 (0-0)
Dynamo Dresden: Jakubowski - Dörner - Buttner, Trautmannn, Doschner - Hafner, Stubner, Pilz - Kirsten, Sammer (69. Gütschow), Lippmann - Coach: Klaus Sammer.
Bayer Uerdingen: Vollack - Herget, Wohrlin, W. Funkel, F. Funkel, Damgen, Edvaldsson (53. Raschid), Klinger, Buttgereit (89. Brinkmann), Bommer, Schäfer. - Coach: K. H. Feldkamp
Scorers: 1-0 Frank Lippmann (50), 2-0 Hans-Uwe Pilz (62).
Referee: Joel Quiniou (FRA). Spectators: 36,000.

patmac

Youv'e seen number 1, here are the rest Utd don't feature BTW:
2. Liverpool - Milan 3-3, 3-2 on penalties (2005)
The absolute classic of European club cup football. Milan, a higher quality side, had 3-0 lead until the 54th minute, but irrational faith and inspiration led Liverpool to a feat that will never be forgotten. Such a beautiful game it was that Silvio Berlusconi himself refused to criticise of punish his squad. Dudek's saves from the spot were both controversial and illegal, but that does not take away from the significance of the phenomenal comeback Liverpool achieved in the 90 minutes.

3. Bochum - Bayern 5-6 (1976)
The craziest game the Bundesliga has ever seen. Bochum were 3-0 up by the half-time whistle and 4-0 in 53th minute. In the next 20 minutes, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Gerd Muller took Bayern to an unbelievable 5-4 lead.
Kaczor put Bochum level on 5-5 in the 80th minute and that seemed to be it, but with a minute to go Uli Höness scored his second and Bayern's sixth for their most amazing win ever.

4. Real Madrid - Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-5 and 4-0 (1985)
UEFA Cup third round. Borussia had run riot in the first leg and Real, the holders, were nearly dead. But, as their hothead striker Juanito said, "90 minutes at Santiago Bernabeu last very long." Half the job was done by half time, but 95,000 people had to wait for the rest until very late. In the final 10 minutes, Jorge Valdano and Carlos Santillana took Real Madrid to a most unlikely win, which the fans consider the greatest in their proud European history.

5. West Germany - England 3-2 (1970)
World Cup quarterfinals. England, reigning champions, lead 2-0 but Alf Ramsey took off Bobby Charlton in order to "rest" him for the semifinals. And indeed Charlton was fully rested for the semifinals, only England was not there. The Germans typically fought on and Gerd Muller, "The Bomber", culminated their effort with a wonderful aerial volley.

6. Metz - Barcelona 2-4 and 4-1 (1984)
Cup Winners' Cup first round. A first-class Barca (later that season league champions) with Schuster, Archibald, Carrasco and Marcos had defeated little Metz by 4-2 in France. Two weeks later, at Nou Camp, Barca extended the lead with another goal by Carrasco. Then the French flooded the pitch and the Yugoslav born Zvonko Kurbos scored three of Metz's four goals which stunned the soccer world.

7. Werder Bremen- Anderlecht 5-3 (1994)
Champions' League group stage. The comeback specialists (Werder) against the chronic loser (Anderlecht). The Belgians held on to 3-0 until the 66th minute and a win should have been a matter of routine, but the Germans for reasons unknown kept on coming forward. The Kiwi Rufer twice, Hobsch, Bratseth and Bode in the following 23 minutes explained the meaning of the phrase "German spirit". Werder also overturned Spartak Moscow's 1-4 with a 6-2 win in 1987, Dynamo Berlin's 0-3 with a 5-0 in 1988 and Lyon's 0-3 with a 4-0 in 1999. True "never-say-die" stuff.

8. USSR - Yugoslavia 5:5 (1952)
Olympic Games second round in Helsinki. Yugoslavia were 5-1 up during the second half and 5-2 with 15 minutes to go, but it was not enough. After a series of corner kicks, Bobrov staged an amazing five-all draw. In the repeated game, however, Yugoslavia confirmed their superiority, winning by 3-1.

9. Barcelona - Anderlecht 0-3, 3-0 and 4-1 on penalties (1978)
Cup Winners' Cup second round. The phenomenal Anderlecht was a superior side, but the Belgians also "loved" to be on the wrong end of comebacks. A minute before normal time the Argentinian Zuviria scored the third goal to level the tie, turning Camp Nou into a volcano. After a quiet extra-time, Barca won by a convincing 4-1 in the penalty shootout. Barca also came from 0-3 down against Ipswich in 1977 and Goteborg in 1986.

10. Deportivo - Milan 1-4 and 4-0 (2004)
Champions League quarterfinals. The European champions Milan came to La Coruna leading 4-1 from the first leg against the same Deportivo who had been slaughtered 8-3 to Monaco four months before. The same Deportivo!? Or was it a different Milan from the one everybody knew? Never, never were Milan so impotent and never so thoroughly beaten than on that night at the Riazor.

11. West Germany - Hungary 3-2 (1954)
Everyone knew Hungary was the best side in the world. Everyone remembered how they beat Germany 8-3 in the group stage, when the Germans rested several regulars for a more important fixture against Turkey. Who could forget how they injured skipper Puskas, who returned half fit in the finals? Still, 2-0 in the first eight minutes should have been enough for Hungary. But, it wasn't because Helmuth Rahn was omnipotent in the finals, taking Germany to their first world title.

12. Partizan Belgrade - Queens Park Rangers 2-6 and 4-0 (1984)
UEFA Cup second round. In London, it was a cat and mouse game. QPR pushed the Partizans into the box and kicked them into the net together with the ball. Six times. Only once before had a team come back from four goals down in Europe and that was in the early sixties. QPR was very vulnerable away from home and Partizan knew it. Mance, Kalicanin, Jesic and Zivkovic created a miracle before 55,000 fans who never stopped believing.

13. Bayern - Inter 0-2 and 3-1 (1988)
UEFA Cup third round. In the 1988/89 season an invincible Inter won their last championship with a record 26 wins in 34 rounds. This Inter thrashed Bayern 2-0 at their Olympische Stadium and hoped for an easy passage in the return game at San Siro. Everything went as planned, save for a seven minute spell late in the second half, in which the Bavarians scored three quick ones before Inter knew what was going on.

14. Portugal vs. North Korea 5-3 (1966)
World Cup quarterfinals. The Koreans had kicked out the mighty Italy by a single goal and then built a 3-0 lead against the ambitious Portuguese. Dictator Kim Il Sung must have been delighted. But, Eusebio played superbly, scoring four times in 30 minutes to avoid another crazy upset. The Panther finished the tournament with 9 goals to his credit, winning the golden boot.

15. Bayer Leverkusen - Espanyol 0-3, 3-0 and 3-2 on penalties (1988)
UEFA Cup final. At Barcelona's Sarriá stadium, 3-0 for the Catalans was a compliment for Bayer Leverkusen. In the return game, it was 0-0 after an hour and the trophy was virtually in the hands of Javier Clemente's side. Heaven know how the Germans pulled three goals back and reached the penalty stage. Amazingly, even there Espanyol took a 2-0 lead, but that was not enough either. Bayer scored three goals in the row from the spot and snatched the Cup that shouldn't have been theirs.

16. Switzerland - Austria 5-7 (1954)
The World Cup quarterfinals in Switzerland saw more goals than any World Cup tie ever before. The hosts reached the threshold of a miracle leading by 3-0 midway through the first half and 4-2 at half-time. A far better team, in the second part Austria got serious and strolled on to the famous win in Lausanne.

17. Ajax - Benfica 1-3, 3-1 and 3-0 (1969)
European Cup quarterfinals. To wipe out a two goal disadvantage against Eusebio's Benfica could not have been simple, especially if you lost the first leg at home and had to do the job at Da Luz. But, a young, Cruyff-led Ajax hit back at Benfica with an identical 3-1. By then prevailing rules, an aggregate draw had to be decided by a playoff game, which Ajax won 3-0, eventually reaching their first finals.

18. Barcelona - Atletico Madrid 5-4 (1997)
Spanish Cup quarterfinals. Atletico arrived at Nou Camp with a poor 2-2 draw, but after 45 minutes they had an "unassailable" 3-0 lead. Fifteen minutes into the second half, they still led by 4-2, with four goals by Serb Milinko Pantic. Ronaldo, Figo and Pizzi three minutes before time created the magnificent turnaround, which thrilled the Catalans. The biggest game in Spanish Cup history was won by a Barca even more spectacular than the one that won the 2004-2005 Primera División.

19. Red Star - Dynamo Berlin 2-5 and 4-1 (1978)
UEFA Cup first round. The East German secret police sponsored team came to Belgrade in high spirits after a resounding 5-2 win in the first leg. Then their top-scorer Riediger made it 6-2 on aggregate before half time. Nothing special: the stopper-come-forward Zdravko Borovnica shocked Dynamo with two goals in the second half, Dusan Savic added one, and Milos Sestic nailed the decider in the 90th minute for Red Star's biggest comeback in Europe.

20. Real Madrid - Anderlecht 0:3 and 6:1 (1984)
UEFA Cup third round. Anderlecht were a better team, and highly fancied after a 3-0 win in Brussels. But, Madrid was about to witness the rise of Quinta del Buitre, Vulture Squad, lead by Emilio "El Buitre" (Vulture) Butragueno. The current Real Madrid vicepresident shone on the night with three goals and the Royals jumped over Anderlecht on the way to the trophy. For Real, comebacks were business as usual.
From 1-4 to 5-1 against Derby County in 1974, from 0-2 to 3-0 against Inter in 1985 and, also against Inter, from 1-3 to 5-1 a year later.

DSB

patmac wrote: »

1. Bayer Uerdingen - Dynamo Dresden 0:2 and 7:3 (1986)
Dresden were hot favourites ever since the draw paired them with lowly Bayer Uerdingen, which had upset Bayern Munich in the German Cup a year earlier. A team of numerous East German stars (Hans-Jürgen Dorner, Ulf Kirsten, Mathias Sammer, Reinhard Hafner, Ralf Minge, Torsten Gütschow and others) built a 2-0 lead in the first leg at home and then ran away with a solid 3-1 lead at half time, seemingly clinching the tie in the return game at Krefeld.

5-1 ahead on aggregate, Dynamo could afford to concede four goals and still progress to the semifinals, but what did anybody know of what was going to happen in the second half. Deep into the second half, to be precise. The 1-3 scoreline on the night still stood after 57 minutes and no-one alive could have imagined the shocking turn of events to come in the rest of the game.

It took a strange penalty to shatter Dynamo's composure. The Icelander Gudmundsson won that dubious penalty kick, which Wolfgang Funkel converted and inexplicably confused the visitors. When six minutes later Gudmundsson himself made it 3-3, Dynamo panicked as if they still didn't have a two goal cushion. Then the unlucky forward Minge deflected a shot into his own net, and the Easterners found themselves utterly disoriented amidst roars from the partisan crowd. Bayer attacked in waves and the reserve Klinger brought the temperature to boiling point with the fifth goal 12 minutes from time.

Dynamo were still ahead on the away-goals rule, but at the time it was clear they were not going to make it.

Schäfer was knocked down in the area and Wolfgang Funkel again scored from the spot, making it 6-3 only 23 minutes after the scoreboard had shown the humiliating 1-3. Before the final whistle, in the total confusion, Schäfer picked up the seventh goal, ending up on the shoulders of his mates and the fans who invaded the pitch.

And to think that no-ne in Bayer's dressing room dared to think of a comeback during half time.

"We said to each other, 'OK, we're out, but let us bid farewell to the Euro-Cup with dignity. No-one will ever be able to explain how this turnaround ocurred," said the coach Karl-Heinz Feldkamp after the game.

Dresden's coach Klaus Sammer, young Matthias's father, did not try to find an excuse in his son's early injury or in the dismal performance of reserve keeper Jens Ramme, who came on for also injured first choice keeper Jakubowski. After such a disaster no excuses could do. To complete Dresden's misery, their forward Frank Lippman left the hotel after the game and defected to the West, in order to play for Nürnberg and Waldhof.

First leg March 5, 1986, Dresden (GDR) - Dynamo-Stadion.
SG Dynamo Dresden (GDR) - FC Bayer 05 Uerdingen (FRG) 2-0 (0-0)
Dynamo Dresden: Jakubowski - Dörner - Buttner, Trautmannn, Doschner - Hafner, Stubner, Pilz - Kirsten, Sammer (69. Gütschow), Lippmann - Coach: Klaus Sammer.
Bayer Uerdingen: Vollack - Herget, Wohrlin, W. Funkel, F. Funkel, Damgen, Edvaldsson (53. Raschid), Klinger, Buttgereit (89. Brinkmann), Bommer, Schäfer. - Coach: K. H. Feldkamp
Scorers: 1-0 Frank Lippmann (50), 2-0 Hans-Uwe Pilz (62).
Referee: Joel Quiniou (FRA). Spectators: 36,000.

Haha yeah that pretty much wins it.

kryogen

Tauren wrote: »

I would say the comeback against Juve was bigger - given that we seemed dead and buried having conceeded two, almost a 3rd (was one disallowed....?) then Keane got the ball rolling and it was FULL STEAM AHEAD BARCELONA!

yup,cany argue with that and i think that was a fantastic game too, i just choose the final because of what it meant, we were the team that completed the treble rather then the team who blew the chance for a treble at the last hurdle

mike65

For dramatic endings I think Bayern/ Man Utd gets it but they were pretty evenly matched going in, whereas Liverpool - Milan were perceived to be on different planets.

My own fav is Wolves-Leicester in the league. Saw it and being a closet Wolves fan
thrilled they won such a game in the Prem.

Mike.

shane86

patmac wrote: »

It's the new age fan that thinks the CL is the be all and end all of soccer. Internationals, FA Cup and League Cup are all secondary and dying because of this thinking.
I bet if you did a poll of Liverpool fans and come to think of it most fans, what would they rather have a Premier League title or runners-up in Champions League 90% would favour the former. In fact 52% of boardsies would rather win the Premier League than the CL.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055026598&highlight=premier+league+v+champions+league

Eh? New age? Im much more occupied with internationals than club football. However I think its a truer test for any team to have to fly out to some remote corner of the ex Soviet bloc in the middle of winter and win, rather than take a half hour drive to Bolton with half the stadium backing you. I agree that, right now, Pool fans would probably prefer to have the title that has eluded them so long, but I still believe 2nd best in Europe is a better achievement than the best in a competition which, realistically, only has 4 possible winners in any given year, usually the same four. The CL is less predictable.

PHB

I'm gona put this out there and wait for the abuse, but for me, Liverpools comeback lacked something, which was the 4th goal. Coming back from 3-0 down was amazing, but it was kinda muted by the fact that the game went on ages nearly another hour more after the last goal. I think if they had won the game 4-3 it would have been the greatest comeback of all time, but because they didn't, I think for me, the greatest I've ever seen was Deportive against Milan.

shane86

PHB wrote: »

I'm gona put this out there and wait for the abuse, but for me, Liverpools comeback lacked something, which was the 4th goal. Coming back from 3-0 down was amazing, but it was kinda muted by the fact that the game went on ages nearly another hour more after the last goal. I think if they had won the game 4-3 it would have been the greatest comeback of all time, but because they didn't, I think for me, the greatest I've ever seen was Deportive against Milan.

An hour of tension, dancing on the line and Dudeks miracle save vs Shevchenko in the dying minutes....pfft, give me all that and a peno shootout for the tension value over a final goal any day. A goal to beat it would have to be of Maradonas run from midfield in 86 quality tbh

PHB

Absolutely, I'm not saying it doesn't make for a really interesting game, but then again, it's not really what I classify as an amazing comeback.

patmac

shane86 wrote: »

only has 4 possible winners in any given year, usually the same four. The CL is less predictable.

Have you ever been to Bolton, Middlesborough etc in the winter not very pleasant. Probably only 3 possible winners these days. The CL is less predictable because it is a knockout league, as said before I also think your deluded if you think that finishing runners-up in the CL is better than winning the premiership, your in a minority of one with that assumption.

invincibleirish

on the question of which was more epic, Man Utd. 1999 or Liverpool 2005, the Liverpool game was definitely more epic, but thats because liverpool are ****e compared to Milan!, Baros, Kewell, Smicer, Traore...., all have CL winners medals! the injustice of it all! just as well they didnt win in 2007 or kids in the future will be told about the great Liverpool of the early 20th Century who won a couple of CLs!

chopperbyrne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_lyCD3NaL4

homerjay2005

no contest:D

uniteds versus bayern in 99, to be loosing in the 91st minute and win it in the 93rd, was simply incredible. and the fact that it achieved the treble, makes it even more incredible. the most amazing comeback ever in a champions league final.

also the juve semi was simply amazing, 2-0 down after 10 and won 3-2. but the final is better considering it was a final and also, considering that it was done in 90 seconds in injury time.

also notible mentions to that deportivo game v milan, though that was over 2 games and celtic's against artmedia in 2005(think), though artmedia were s**te and again was over 2 legs.

also, uniteds comeback from 3-0 down to beat spurs 5-3 was probably the best second half display by any team since the premiership was set up. last seasons united comeback v everton was also amazing.

DSB

Didn't Artmedia knock Celtic out?

PHB

also, uniteds comeback from 3-0 down to beat spurs 5-3 was probably the best second half display by any team since the premiership was set up.

Did you watch United against Newcaslte two weeks ago

Kimbot

The thing that made the 2005 CL Special for me apart form the final was that no1 had any hope of Liverpool winning it at all.

Juventus, Chelsea, Milan all better teams on paper.

With players like Traore, Baros, Smicer, Dudek playing for them.

It was unreal, tense moments like the double save right at the death. It was one of those games that you were on the edge of your seat when the comeback was on and it could have swung either way in the end.

kinaldo

therecklessone wrote: »

Probably the greatest giant killing in FA Cup history, 2-1 down in the first leg only for their player-manager to score a 25 yarder to bring the game to a replay...1-0 down with 8 minutes to go, Ronnie Radford scores a screamer to bring the game to extra time, and Hereford win 2-1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-ze42I6NEo&feature=related

You know it's not often lately that Newcastle receive such huge compliments from other fans, particularly Spurs fans. Muchas gracias mi amigo!

homerjay2005

PHB wrote: »

Did you watch United against Newcaslte two weeks ago

no, the spurs game was alot better. 3-0 down, away from home.newcastle were a team with no manager and struggling. no contest really!!!!

homerjay2005

DSB wrote: »

Didn't Artmedia knock Celtic out?

ya but it was like 5-0 in the first leg and celtic won the second 4-0. almost got the 5th. kinda glad they didnt though, we would never have heard the end of it:D. was in tolka park the same night watching shels v steua.

DSB

Eh 4-0 is like the score you'd be expecting to beat Artmedia.

therecklessone

kinaldo wrote: »

You know it's not often lately that Newcastle receive such huge compliments from other fans, particularly Spurs fans. Muchas gracias mi amigo!

Its a no-brainer really, first time a non-league side (who entered at the 4th qualifying round) had beaten a top flight team since that other small club from the north east Sunderland had lost to Yoevil in 1949.

Ruskie4Rent

Personally I'm gonna pick the '99 final for obvious reasons. The game was a horrible anti-clamax to what was supposed to be our historic season. We were one nil down and there was no keane or scholes, it all seemed very bleak. In the space of 3 minutes I went to the lowest I had ever felt as a united fan to the greatest.

In terms of a real backs to the wall job, that make people say 'how the **** did they do that?", I have to pick out the City-Spurs Cup game or Milan-Deprtivo. They never should of won them games but somehow found a way to do it.
Man Utd at Spurs was also amazing.






Oh, and the '05 Champions league final.

KdjaCL

tonight ?

kdjac

Boro

Im not biased but how about these two:

It was the second leg of the quarter finals of the uefa cup and Middlesbrough were already 2-0 down from the away leg. In an incredible fightback Maccarone grabbed the winner in the 90th minute to send Boro through to the semis 4-3.
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=6C4jxNE03JU

The semi final of the uefa cup and Middlesbrough were 1-0 down from the first leg and quickly went 3-0 down on aggregate. Surely there was no way back? Or was there! Especially brilliant purely for the commentary when Maccarone scores his second.
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=8N5sgpjI01o

Xavi6

Boro wrote: »

Im not biased but how about these two:

It was the second leg of the quarter finals of the world cup and Middlesbrough were already 2-0 down from the away leg. In an incredible fightback Maccarone grabbed the winner in the 90th minute to send Boro through to the semis 4-3.
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=6C4jxNE03JU

Lol Boro in the World Cup? How did McClaren manage to get them there but not England?!

Boro

LOL typo

jackdaw

kinaldo wrote: »

Yeah but that one is too obvious. Let's have some less celebrated ones!

or a more accurate description would be " That one shouldn't be included at
all and deleted from the archives of football history, as it was a complete JOKE"

BaZmO*

Elvis - The '68 Comeback Special

Best comeback ever.