Life is full of surprises and so is the world of sports. Over the years, we have seen different teams and players across all professional sports that have positioned themselves as champions and kings in their respective territories. As a result, in every tournament, the majority of fans and pundits will always predict these 'giant' clubs to win.
Surprisingly, it doesn't happen so all the time. There have been many times when smaller times defeated bigger clubs in unusual ways.
Here, we will be looking at some cases in sports history where an 'underdog' team and/or player came out as the champion and gold winner. Yeah, it has happened many times and it will continue to happen.
This is to prove to us that there is no permanent champion. To keep being the champion, you have to keep improving on your skills and your game.
More so, it is important that these scenarios happen because where there is a long-standing and undefeated champion, such competition tends to lack interest, suspense, and intensity. Take an example in the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich has dominated the league for many years such that, anyone can easily predict who will win the league.
Bournemouth 4:3 Liverpool FC
This was in the 2016/2017 season. Liverpool FC was doing so well and in top form while Bournemouth was almost at the bottom of the table. In this fixture, everyone expected an easy win for the Reds but it was a different ball game in the end as Bournemouth won Liverpool FC by 4 goals to 3.
As of the 2016/2017 EPL season, the Bournemouth side was not seen or considered as a serious Premier League contender, owing to their prevailing poor results and form. However, in their meeting against Liverpool FC, they stunned a lot of people with their very thrilling and impressive display.
Liverpool started the game on a very strong note scoring two goals before the 25-minute mark. These goals came from Sadio Mane and Divock Origi giving the Reds a 0-2 lead at half-time. Coming into the second half of the game, the home side was awarded a spot-kick and Callum Wilson did justice as he converted it to a goal. The Cherries were then back in the game.
Hope seemed lost for the host when Emre Can doubled the advantage once again for Liverpool, making it 1-3. At this point, I thought the game was over but this wasn't the case. Shockingly, Ryan Fraser netted another goal in the 76th minute to make 2-3.
It didn't end there, two minutes later, Steve Cook scored the equalizer. You needed to see the home fans chanting and cheering so hard. This gingered the host while Liverpool seemed to have lost their morale.
The last straw that broke the camel's back came from the last-minute tap-in from Nathan Ake taking the scoreline to 4-3. This was how Eddie Howe's men stole the show and recorded one of the most memorable wins in their history.
Rostov 3-2 Bayern Munich
Under normal circumstances, Rostov isn't that strong to defeat Bayern Munich. And this is the Champions League (2016/2017) we are talking about . So, it was indeed a shocker to many and me.
Rostov, the Russian side had no hopes left of making it to the next round of the Champions League in the 2016/2017 season. However, getting 3 points could have helped them finish third above PSV Eindhoven and in turn qualify for the Europa League. Everyone knows how brutal Bayern Munich can be so, a small team getting all 3 points from them seemed like something impossible.
In summary, Rostov defeated Bayern machines by three goals to two in Odessa. Douglas Costa did hand Bayern the lead, but the Russian side scored twice in the space of seven minutes to take an unexpected lead. Juan Bernat equalized in the 52nd minute, but a Christian Noboa strike handed Rostov all three points in the end. Bayern Munich couldn't believe the outcome of the game but it was the reality.
Bournemouth 4:3 Liverpool FC...this match made my day, ponduits did write them off but they pulled superlative performance to earn the win.No team should under-rated in any game especially in football but on the other hand, such encounters give joy and excitments.
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It made your day? Frens, a Liverpool enemy has been spotted🤣
The bottom line is that no team should be underrated.
You know sometimes when this shocking moments occurs in football, it just kind of help me realize how much dynamic and how fast situations in the football space can easily change.
That's right! As I said, it happens to confirm the fact that anything is possible in football.
Just of recent, we saw how Chelsea almost defeated Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
I totally agree. What shock are you recently expecting?
I won't lie, rivalry aside, I love seeing the underdogs win because they remind us that there is chance for everyone. I remembered how Brentford won against Arsenal at the start of the season.
Agreed, when it happens, it makes the game more interesting.
Also, when underdogs win, it serves as a wake-up call to those giants to never underrate.
Exactly... A huge wake up call and that makes it all the more interesting.
Yeah
The underdogs are us and we are the underdogs hahahaha. I can never forget that Bournemouth game. I think the current Newcastle United coach was their coach then. Crazy upset.
Lol
It was a big day for you then
Haha yes, it was.
Underdog victories happen across the pond in North America, too, including in the "provincial" sports.
1. Major League Baseball -- 2004-- Boston Red Sox upset New York Yankees in 7 games for first playoff victory over their archrivals since 1918. That's 86 years!
2. National Football League -- 1991 -- New York Giants defeat the heavily favored Buffalo Bills 20-19 in the Super Bowl. This is the famous Whitney Houston Game around the time of Operation: Desert Storm. It's also the first of 4 consecutive Super Bowl defeats for the Bills.
3. National Hockey League -- 1984 -- Edmonton Oilers defeat New York Islanders to capture the first of 5 Stanley Cup Championships over 7 seasons. The Oilers ended a 4-year dynasty to begin their own dynasty. One season earlier the Oilers were swept by the same Islanders team. For the Oilers to win, they had to end the still-record for consecutive playoff series won streak at 19. It took a dynasty to beat a dynasty, but no one saw that at the time.
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