You'll Never Walk Alone

Tonight on Merseyside, the street parties and bonfires will last all night. And deservedly so. After am 21-year sojourn, the European Cup has returned to Liverpool in the most amazing of fashions.

Every so often, you are blessed to watch a game that so transfixes your eyes as well as your heart that you are glued to your seats and can't contain the raw emotion involved in the match. My last match that I described as the best I'd seen was Celtic-Barcelona at the Camp Nou, quarterfinal of the UEFA Cup last year, where young David Marshall kept out Ronaldinho, Javier Saviola, Luis Enrique, and a whole slew of capable forward-involved players for the most memorable match of that years competition.

But today, we have a new favorite, arguably the greatest match of all time. 4-times winners Liverpool dressed in their famous, undefeated-in-European Cup Finals all red, and seven-times winners AC Milan in their undefeated-in-European Cup Finals all white, the Attaturk Stadium, Hell as it's been called, in Instanbul.

AC Milan get a free kick inside a minute, with Andrea Pirlo sending a splendidly low driven ball across the Liverpool box, to be met by Paolo Maldini to finish past Jerzy Dudek. Carlo Ancelotti said they'd score early, and he was right. Liverpool are crushed. Chance after chance doesn't fall for Milano, as Luis Garcia deflects one of his own line as Hernan Crespo flicks one on after a well-placed corner by Clarence Seedorf. 39 minutes gone, on a typical Milano counterattack, Kaka feeds Andriy Schevshenko a delicate ball and the Ukranian striker surges bast Dmjiti Traore. Sheva sends a low ball across the face of goal, through a bounding Jamie Carragher, to Hernan Crespo, who braces a technical finish into the back of Liverpool's net. Ancelotti jumps in jubilation, Liverpool hang their heads. 5 minutes later, Kaka sends Crespo on an amazing run past Carragher, Sammi Hyypia and Traore, and daintily flicks the ball past an outstretched Dudek. 3-0 before half-time, an unfortunate situation for Liverpool, and the half ends.

54 minutes in, Liverpool, after just nearly conceding a free-kick, take the offensive. John-Arne Riise finds Steven Gerrard in the middle of the box, and he powerfully opens the scoring for Liverpool. 2 minutes later, Vladimer Smicer recieves a deflected ball from Alessandro Nesta, and batters the ball into the back of the net from 25 yards out. Liverpool is back, their fans chanting and singing once more. 6 minutes later, Gerrard is fouled in the box, setting up a Xabi Alonso spot-kick which is saved by Dida, yet followed up by Alonso, into the back of the net.

The second most amazing turn-around in all of European Cup history. The tale of two halves, with Liverpool being outplayed in the first half, then outplaying Milano in the second, securing the impetus going into a crucial silver goal stoppage time. Sheva is unable to connect twice on open looks, and Liverpool save energy for the shootout.

SHOOTOUT:
Serginho- Miss
Hamman- Make
Pirlo- Miss
Cisse- Make
Tomasson- Make
Riise- Miss
Kaka- Make
Smicer- Make
Shevchenko- Miss

Dudek with the final touch on the save from Sheva, who tries a chip down the middle.

This match gave me goosebumps. I was so astonished how a team could come back on AC Milan, down 3-0 at the half. That speaks loads about Rafa Benitez and this Liverpool side in general. Shanks and Paisley would be so proud.

When you walk through the storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of the lark

Walk on, through the wind
Walk on, through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone

Fucking Scousers, puts a tear to my eye