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STORY
BY SOYFUL ALI
HEARTBREAK FOR DONS AND REDS AS
BRADFORD CELEBRATE
Bradford
City 1 Liverpool 0
It was another one of those
days that when you look back on
in the future, especially all Bradford
fans, you will never forget. The
place to be on Sunday afternoon
was Bradford. The city will never
celebrate like it did that night.
Bradford went into the game against
Liverpool knowing that a win might
not have been enough for them to
stay in the Premier League. A small
miracle was needed and a helping
hand from Southampton who were playing
Wimbledon.
The game started, as you would have
expected, with Bradford asking most
of the questions to a Liverpool
rearguard that boasts the best defence
in the whole country.
NO WIN IN
4
Liverpool
had gone four games without a win
or a single goal but had Michael
Owen back in the side. But Owen,
with the England boss Kevin Keegan
watching on for Euro 2000 hopefuls,
could not do anything as Bradford
took an early lead. Hamman was adjudged
to have fouled Beagrie 35 yards
from goal. And from the resulting
free kick Bradford took full advantage.
The cross came in from Beagrie and
was met on the head of David Wetherall
on the 18-yard box.
The Liverpool marking was non existent
and the header flew in to the top
hand corner. The fans went delirious!
Bradford 1 Liverpool 0. Half the
job almost done. If results stayed
as they were Bradford would have
performed one of the most unlikeliest
escape acts of all time on the last
day of the season.
CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE
But
Liverpool still had plenty to fight
for. With 3rd place beckoning a
Champions League play-off they needed
the win. They weren't to get a clear
sight of goal though until the last
minute of an exhilarating fist half
though.
Bradford had a corner kick but it
was cleared by Sammi Hyypia who
found Jamie Carragher. Carragher
played it over the Bradford defence
and Owen chased a ball, which he
was not favourite to get. There
where three Bradford players marking
Owen but they all went for the same
ball and Owen managed to squeeze
past them all.
The 'keeper rushed out, Owen calmly
took it round him and the Bradford
players and supporters all held
their breath. Owen's touch took
a bit wide though, he still managed
to get a decent shot on target but
in came Gunner Halle, who just managed
to clear it off the line for a corner
kick and much to Bradford's delight.
The half time whistle came and Bradford
were in dream land. They were almost
there. Liverpool manager Gerrard
Houlier must have been reeling form
his sides first half display and
sent his troops out early.
LIVERPOOL
ONSLAUGHT
Whatever
Houllier and Phil Thompson said
to the players it worked because
Liverpool looked like a different
side in the second half. The passing
was better and more controlled,
Liverpool started to use the wide
areas to try and get the supply
in for Owen and a quiet Heskey.
Liverpool weren't creating any clear-cut
chances though and with time running
out Houllier made a double substitution.
Taking off Berger and Gerrard for
Smicer and Camara.
By then, news had filtered through
from Southampton that Wimbledon
were 1-0 down. The Bradford supporters
could not believe their luck, everything
was going their way. But as the
match continued Liverpool threw
everything at the Bradford defence.
The Champions League spot was quickly
slipping away from them and they
had to throw caution against the
wind.
By the 80th minute Southampton were
2-0 up against Wimbledon, so all
Bradford had to do was hold on for
a few more minutes.
NERVOUS
90'S
They
were a few nervous moments as Owen
and Heskey had half chances but
failed to produce the goods once
again for Liverpool. Houllier made
yet another change throwing on Meijer,
another striker for a defender,
as Liverpool still kept going. Bradford
though eventually held out for a
result that was described by many
as the least likeliest and the best
result in the history of the club.
RELEGATED
Wimbledon
were relegated from the top flight
for the first time ever, Liverpool
yet again missed out on a Champions
League place on the last day and
Bradford had another year in the
Premier League. Who said that dreams
don't come true? This dream was
more like a fairy tail story though…Commiseration's
to Liverpool and Wimbledon and congratulations
to Leeds and Bradford City.
Champions
Manchester United
Runners-Up
Arsenal
Relegated
Wimbledon
Sheffield Wednesday
Watford |
FA
Premier League
| Aston Villa |
0 |
Manchester Utd |
1 |
| Bradford |
1 |
Liverpool |
0 |
| Chelsea |
4 |
Derby
|
0 |
| Everton |
0 |
Middelsbro'
|
2 |
| Newcastle |
4 |
Arsenal |
2 |
| Sheff Wed |
4 |
Leicester |
0 |
| Southampton
|
2 |
Wimbledon |
0 |
| Tottenham |
2 |
Sunderland |
1 |
| Watford |
1 |
Coventry |
0 |
| West Ham |
0 |
Leeds |
0 |
|
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