EPL TITLE RACE WAS ONE FOR THE AGES
Reds and City take centre stage in another big year, writes MATTY HOLDSWORTH
10. America on top
AMERICAN superstar Megan Rapinoe stole the show at the Women’s World Cup as her national team won a second straight title.
Rapinoe claimed the Golden Ball and Golden Boot with six goals and three assists as the Americans clean swept the competition, concluding with a 2-0 triumph over the upstart Netherlands in the final on July 7.
Her arms apart goal celebration against France was also transformed into a meme that pokes fun at US President Donald Trump.
Rapinoe was later crowned the best female player in the world. Australia’s World Cup ended in disappointment with a loss to Norway on penalties in the last 16.
9. Farewell to Timmy
THE Socceroos greatest goal scorer, Tim Cahill, announced his retirement from the beautiful game at 39.
Cahill, who went to four World Cups, scored 50 goals on the international stage in his 108 appearances.
He played more than 200 matches for both Everton and Millwall in a career in England that stretched from 1998 to 2012. He later played for the New York Red Bulls in MLS and in China before returning to Australia to play for Melbourne City in the A-League.
He is responsible for thousands of corner flags being beaten up across the nation.
8. Manager merrygo-round
NO list on a year in football would be complete without the annual management reshuffle.
This year, headline acts included Mauricio Pochettino’s dumping from Tottenham months after reaching the Champions League final. Coach of arch rivals Arsenal, Unai Emery, was also axed.
Tottenham moved quickly to snap up veteran boss turned pundit Jose Mourinho while the Gunners have taken a gamble signing former player Mikel Arteta.
In Germany, after a turbulent start powerhouse Bayern Munch parted ways with Nico Kovac before settling on interim coach Hans-Dieter Flick.
In Italy, Napoli sensationally made way with Carlo Ancelotti who is now at Everton no less.
Back home, strugglers Brisbane Roar made rookie coach Robbie Fowler their man after John Aloisi had cut short his tenure.
Other high-profile departures include Marco Silva, Neil Warnock, Quique Flores and Manuel Pellegrini who was sacked on December 28 by strugglers West Ham.
7. Kerr’s big move
MATILDA’S superstar Sam Kerr has signed with English giants Chelsea Football Club making her one of the highest paid female footballers in the world.
Kerr put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half year deal worth $2 million.
The proven goal scorer will wear the No.20 shirt and the 26-year-old is excited about making her debut in the FA Women’s Super League.
6. Messi best again
ARGENTINIAN wizard Lionel Messi confirmed his status as the game’s greatest ever player - at least in the modern era - with his record sixth Ballon d’Or.
The Barcelona No.10 narrowly pipped Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk to win his first trophy since 2015.
Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo finished in third place, some 200-odd points adrift.
Messi’s brilliance won the European Golden Shoe for the sixth time in his career, with 36 goals in La Liga.
Despite a stunning free kick against Liverpool in the UCL semi-finals, not even Messi was able to piggy back his side into the finals.
But in all competitions, the 31-year-old scored 51 goals in 49 matches, and he also contributed 19 assists.
Only the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona can stand alongside the little genius.
5. Stajcic sacking
MATILDAS players were left gutted five months before the Women’s World Cup when Australian coach Alen Stajcic was sacked after an internal review into the team’s culture.
Multiple Matilda’s stars including Kyah Simon and Chloe Logarzo were devastated at the loss.
Football Federation Australia chief executive David Gallop said the decision came after confidential surveys were conducted by the Professional Footballers Australia and women’s rights group Our Watch. Stajcic later received an unspecified out-of-court settlement from the FFA along with an apology from FFA director Heather Reid.
4. Ange’s great win
RENOWNED manager Ange
Postecoglou created history in Japan, with his J-League side Yokohama F Marinos crowned champions.
The former Socceroos coach became the first Australian manager to win the prestigious competition and has since been linked with even more lucrative jobs.
Despite a heavily restricted transfer budget and relegation in sights when he took over, Postecoglou managed to turn the side into title challengers to win their club’s first title since 2004.
The title success added to Postecoglou’s glowing resume at club level after his two A-League wins with the Brisbane Roar.
3. VAR controversy
THE number one talking point of the year, all for the wrong reasons.
Video Assisted Refereeing was hailed as a revolution to rid the sport of howler decision making. Refereeing is not black and white, mistakes happen.
It’s time to pull the pin on the technology.
I think most agree that goalline technology works as it is black and white but there is so much room for error on top of error with this system. It’s time for it to go.
2. Reds beat Barcelona
I FEEL the need to point out that I am a Liverpool fan and it pains me to not put this game as number one.
For a stand-alone match it is arguably the most memorable game of the year, perhaps the decade, perhaps in history.
This match, against Lionel Messi and Barcelona is already the stuff of legend.
Having lost 3-0 in Barcelona, Liverpool had to win 4-0 at Anfield, without the Spanish side scoring.
They would have to do it without two thirds of their famed trio, Mo Salah and Robert Firmino.
An opening goal to Divock Origi gave the Reds hope at half-time, followed by an excellent brace to midfielder Gini Wijnaldum set up the most unlikely victory.
With 11 minutes remaining, a clever corner from youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold found Origi in space, and the cult hero delivered, sending the Reds to the final.
Liverpool them defeated Tottenham Hotspur to claim their sixth Champions League Trophy.
1. EPL two-horse race
THEY say it takes two to tango and Manchester City and Liverpool proved the ultimate dance duo in one of the closest title races in Premier League history.
Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues, won 16-straight games to best Jurgen Klopp’s Reds by one point in the end with the drama going down to the final day.
Liverpool cruelly lost just one game all season, compared to City’s four, but back-to-back draws against Merseyside rivals Everton and West Ham halted progress late on.
Fittingly for City the title would have been squandered in the penultimate game of the season without inspirational skipper Vincent Kompany.
With the scores locked at 0-0 against Leicester City as the clock passed 70 minutes, Kompany produced a brilliant strike from 25 yards that arrowed into the top corner.
It sent the nerve-wracked Etihad Stadium into a fit and ultimately won them the league title.
Liverpool have not won a title in the Premier League era but are on a mission to add to the 18 top-flight crowns won by the Merseyside giants and are 10 points clear heading in to the all-important second half of the season.