Germany Takes Center Stage in London

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks



Adolph Hitler tired to conquer the world and failed abysmally. Hitler even sent bombers to the United Kingdom in an attempt to bring the British to their knees during World War 11.

Where the Nazis failed, democratic Germany has triumphed. Germany established their supremacy in the Champion's League as two German teams went to war at Wembley Stadium, London. Of course, the German Chancellor was proudly perched in Wembley Stadium overseeing the German Clubs. Bayern Munich and Dortmund fiercely battled on British soil for soccer supremacy. Both teams played like champions. The level of ball lived up to the expectation.

Bayern was the favorite but Dortmund dominated the first half and it looked as if we could be in for an upset. Both goalkeepers were scintillating and it was their superlative performance that kept the score nil all at the end of the first half.

In the second half, a long ball from Dante, the Brazilian central defender, found the Dortmund defenders napping. Robben got an opportunity to run at the Dortmund defenders and in a flash the favorites were on the scoreboard.



Dortmund equalized with a penalty. As the game progressed, Ribery and Robben got more and more opportunities to run at the Dortmund defenders. Nonetheless, it appeared that we would go into over-time and perhaps penalty kicks which Bayern lost to Chelsea in the Champion League last year.

Robben is a deft dribbler and his left foot is like a guided missile. For someone designated as a great player, Robben failed to play well in the World Cup final in South Africa in 2010 when the Netherlands lost to Spain. Bayern Munich lost the Champions League finals in 2011 and 2012. In both games Robben failed to rise to the occasion.

The 2013 Champions Final became Robben*s redemption. The flying Dutchman picked up a ball in the 89th minute and produced some magic that left Dortmund defenders spread-eagled. Robben scored in the 89th minute.



Bayern Munich for 2012-2013 was a cut above all other teams. Next year the Champions League final will not be monopolized by Germany, we hope, but the German teams displayed a high level of football and the Bundesliga has re-emerged as one of the top teams in the World and the German national team will be serious contenders for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Drogba: The Last King of Chelsea

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

It is likely that Didier Drogba will not return to Chelsea for the EPL season of 2012-2013. But he has been immortally etched in the annals of Chelsea’s history. Minutes from being knocked out of the Champions League, Drogba rose above the Bayern Munich defenders and executed a spectacular header from a corner. Muller had appeared to seal the deal for Bayern Munich after scoring a header from a free kick in the 83rd minute.

Bayern Munich held the upper hand for ninety minutes but Chelsea defended tenaciously. The game was tied after 90 minutes and went into overtime.

Drogba inastutely tackled Ribery in the extra thirty minutes and gave Munich a penalty. Robben “bushed” the penalty. Robben throughout the game was forever dangerous but was never able to win the game for Bayern Munich. If Robben had scored half of the chances in the World Cup final in 2008, the Netherlands, not Spain, would have been crowned champions. If Robben had scored the penalty in overtime, Bayern Munich would have been crowned European champions. Robben is a great player who is yet to show his greatness when it really matters.

Drogba is the opposite of Robben. Drogba rises to the task in the matches in which champions are crowned. He not only scored the goal in regular time that placed his team in a position to win in overtime but he was the fifth shooter and with the game on the line triumphantly placed the ball in the back of the net.

Juan Mata choked on the first penalty but Bayern although poised to win, had two of their penalty kickers fail to connect. Lampard, Cole, and Luiz did not fail to connect. Drogba placed the icing on the cake.

Chelsea’s victory means Tottenham will not play in the Champion’s League next season as Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal will be the four teams to represent the English Premier League.

Will Di Matteo be the Chelsea coach next season? Roman Abramovich will decide whether to run with Di Matteo’s successful record or to venture into the unknown. Nonetheless, the expectation is that quite a few of the aging players will make their exodus from Chelsea and new talent will be seduced to bring new potency to enhance future success at Chelsea. Irrespective of what occurs next year, Chelsea can bask in the glory that they are champions of Europe in 2011-2012. Such a feat would not be possible without Didier Drogba.

The Championships and Champions

By Bagga Wilks

Robben showed his class as one of the premier players of the world when he unleashed a shot at Inter Milan’s Julio Cesar, who fumbled the shot and allowed the strategically placed Gomez, Bayern Munich’s prolific striker, to place the ball in the back of the net and to give Bayern a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan, the defending champions. In the second leg of the knockout round of the Championship League, Inter Milan will have to travel to Munich, Germany trailing by one goal.

What was interesting about Julio Cesar’s error is that a similar error in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup was instrumental in Brazil being knocked out and Holland going forward.

Robben showed in the World Cup 2010 that he is one of the more difficult forwards to mark and one with the most deadly and accurate kickers in the game. In fact, if Robben had finished the chances that he created, it would have been the Netherlands celebrating at the end of the final and not Spain.

Sneijder, the Inter Milan playmaker and also for Holland, was a big factor in Holland getting to the final and sending Dunga’s ‘pigmy-giants’ to an early end to the 2010 World Cup. Sneijder has been plagued with an injury for most of the season and has struggled to regain his touch and his form. Inter against Bayern Munich was back to full force with the exception of their exceptional central defender, Samuel, who is out for the season. But Leonardo’s Inter Milan has not been the same team that they were under Mourinho. Nonetheless, Sneijder featured in Inter Milan’s victory over Sampdoria which is an indication he may be returning to form which should make Inter more competitive going down the stretch.

Robben’s Bayern Munich, after defeating Inter Milan in mid-week, had to face Dortmund the leader in the Bundesliga on the weekend. Every time Robben received the ball, he was surrounded by three Dortmund players. Dortmund whipped Bayern Munich and increased their lead and enhanced their chances of winning the German League.

No Walcott, No Fabregas, No Carling Cup


Arsenal demonstrated to the football world that when they are at full strength, they can beat the best teams in the world. Against lowly placed Birmingham, Arsenal was expected to end their drought of not winning any silverware since 2005. The tragedy of Arsenal is for them to be spectacular, they need the artistry of Walcott, Fabaregas and Van Persie and all three are incredibly fragile. Fabregas is plagued with
perennial hamstrings and Van Persie and Walcott suffer from recurring ankle injuries.

Arsenal fought back from being one goal down and a combination of Arshavin and Van Persie ended with the latter scoring a spectacular goal. But it was a defensive lapse that gave Birmingham the Carling Cup. Koscielny was about to clear a lose ball and at the last minute left it to his keeper, Sezechney and Martins who had just been injected into the game accepted the sitter. Koscielny has improved his level of play and Sezechney has been superb in goal since the Polish youngster has been appointed Arsenal’s first string goalkeeper. Birmingham played above their pay grade and perhaps their taste of victory will help them to avoid relegation.

Arsenal is still in the European Championship Cup and is still in the hunt for winning the English Premier League. Their acquisition of silverware will depend heavily on the recovery and sustained fitness of Walcott, Fabregas and Van Persie. Arsenal should not panic, they have many years ahead to refill the cabinet with silverware.

The Pato show


Allegri has not favored Pato in his starting eleven but even off the bench Pato has displayed his goal-scoring prowess. Allegri had no choice but to start him against Napoli on a wet Monday evening at the San Siro where the two leading contenders for the Serie A clashed.

Pato put on a show for the fans and his coach must realize that Pato is the key to winning the championship. The offensive potency of Ibrahimouvic, Robinho and Pato is the best in the league. Allegri is too preoccupied with runners like Flamini and Gattuso. Neither should be playing over Boateng and it is counter-productive to substitute Boateng for Robinho when the individual coming off should have been Flamini or Gattuso.

A.C. Milan has now increased their lead in the Seri A by 5 points. Their hometown rivals, Inter Milan, are runners-up with 53 points. Allegri is still learning his craft and he needs to know the game is about finesse, not brawn.

Who's Champions League Goal was better?

Nasri Goal vs. Porto


Robben Goal vs. Bayern

Wednesday Champions League Round Up

AC Milan's Pato 2 goals shocks Real Madrid

The Brazilian scored in the 88th minute of a match that was strewn with goalkeeping errors, including two uncharacteristic mistakes from Real's Iker Casillas on his 100th appearance in Europe.

Madrid skipper Raul capitalised on an early howler from Milan keeper Dida to open the scoring and equal Gerd Müller's record of 66 European goals before Andrea Pirlo equalised with a 35-yard strike that caught Casillas napping.

Then on 66 minutes the Real keeper rushed out of his area and missed the ball to gift Pato with his first goal. Royston Drenthe equalised for the home side in the 76th minute before Pato struck again late on.


Salomon Kalou scored twice as Chelsea virtually secured their place in the knockout phase with a 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge. With striker Didier Drogba sitting out the final game of his three-match UEFA ban, his Ivory Coast team mate Kalou scored either side of halftime to put his side in charge.

Frank Lampard then ended his lean spell in front of goal with Chelsea's third and Atletico's miserable night was complete when Luis Perea scored an own goal in stoppage time.

A late strike by winger Antonio Valencia gave Manchester United a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium.

The £18 million summer signing, who scored his first goal for the Red Devils against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, hit the crossbar in the 81st minute and then netted from close-range five minutes later. The win extended United's unbeaten run away from home to 14 matches.

Bordeaux defender Michael Ciani turned from villain to hero as Les Girondins secured a 2-1 home win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Ciani scored an own goal after only six minutes but made amends on the half-hour with a superb goal, scoring with his right heel with his back to the goal.

Bayern had playmaker Thomas Muller sent off for a second booking and five minutes from the break defender Marc Planus scored the winner for Bordeaux from close range. The French club then missed two penalties and Bayern had another player sent off in defender Daniel van Buyten.

Juventus ended a run of five games without a win when Giorgio Chiellini's header sealed a 1-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa. The Italy centre back nodded in Diego's free kick from close range just after the break to give the hosts five points from their opening three games.

Maccabi, bottom of the group, had substitute Tiago Silva sent off midway through the second half for a studs-up tackle on Chiellini.

Brazilian forward Hulk scored twice to help Porto come back from a goal down and beat APOEL Nicosia 2-1. Porto dominated the first half but APOEL stunned the home side when they scored with their first attack on 22 minutes when Alvaro Pereira deflected the ball into his own net.

The Portuguese champions took 11 minutes to react and equalised when irrepressible Colombian striker Falcao stole the ball on the edge of the Cypriot box and passed to Hulk who scored with a well-placed left-footed drive on 33 minutes.

In the first minute of the second half, Elias handled the ball in the box and Hulk converted from the spot to give the hosts a deserved win.

VfL Wolfsburg missed a series of chances and hit the woodwork before having to settle for a 0-0 draw with Beskitas. The Germans, who dominated the game until striker Grafite was sent off for hitting an opponent, could have taken the lead through an early Edin Dzeko header.

A rare moment of quality from Gabriel Heinze settled a poor game between FC Zurich and Marseille as the French club won 1-0 in Switzerland. The former Manchester United centre back volleyed home after 69 minutes to settle the match.