FIRES of FOOTBALL HELL

Manchester United v Bayern Munich:
Champion's league Final: 26th May 1999:

In Barcelona on 26th May 1999 Bayern Munich threw away the European Cup at the last. Their players looked to have been machine gunned as they lay scattered in grey crumpled heaps across the penalty area. With Bayern leading 1-0 going into injury time Manchester United then scored twice in a devastating late burst.

Such was their shock and desolation no Bayern player appeared capable of finishing the match. With three quarters of the Nou Comp a blazing red tide of crazed celebrations, famed Italian referee Pierluigi Collina gently helped the Germans to their feet in order to play out the remaining few torturous seconds.

None appeared more heartbroken than defender Samuel Kuffour for the end of his world seemed at hand. The darkest night in Bayern Munich's history unravelled due to Kuffour's failure to mark Ole Gunnar Solskjaer off David Beckham's corner. Teddy Sherringham's headed flick on to Solskjaer saw the Norwegian flash the ball high into the net from close range, thus sending Kuffour wailing into despair.

The Ghanaian international fell to the ground and punched the turf, his eyes disbelieving, filling with tears. In football there are times when defeat is hard to accept, never more so than on that unforgettable night in Barcelona. Amidst unrivalled scenes of both despair and joy the fires of football hell engulfed Bayern Munich.

John Ludden
Cfieldsoffire@aol.com