On 4 April 2009, upstart Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg reached the top of the table by crushing the previous season's champions, Bayern Munich, 5-1 before a sellout crowd of over 31,000 at Wolfsburg's Volkswagen Arena. The small northern German side never looked back, remaining at the top to claim their first Bundesliga title at the end of the season.
Wolfsburg entered the match full of optimism, riding a seven-game winning streak that started in the first week of February with a 2-0 home win over VfL Bochum. And they had already beaten Bayern in Munich 2-4 earlier in the season.
On the day, Wolfsburg and Bayern were tied for second, even on points (48), goals scored (53), and goals allowed (31). The sides remained even through the first 45 minutes, exchanging late first-half goals from Wolfsburg's Christian Gentner and Bayern's Luca Toni. But in the second half, the balance shifted in Wolfsburg's favor with a quick brace from Bosnia striker Edin Džeko (63', 66'), then a goal from his Brazilian teammate Grafite (74'). Grafite (pictured) later matched his strike partner's tally, capping off the win with a brilliant 77th-minute backheel that was hailed as one of the best Bundesliga goals in history.
The win was especially sweet for manager Felix Magath, who arrived in Wolfsburg in 2007 after having been sacked from Bayern earlier in the year. It lifted Wolfsburg into first place, where they remained for the rest of the season after winning six and drawing two of their last eight matches.
Showing posts with label Luca Toni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luca Toni. Show all posts
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Sunday, September 8, 2013
8 September 2011 - There's No Place Like A New Home
On 8 September 2011, Juventus opened their new stadium by drawing 1-1 with English third tier side Notts County.
Built over a period of two and a half years at a construction cost of €120 million, Juventus Stadium is the latest in a string of home grounds for the Bianconeri, including the Stadio Olimpico (where thet played from 1933 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2011) and the Stadio delle Alpi (1990-2006). To mark the occasion, they invited Notts County for a friendly.
The invitation was a nod to the significant role Notts County had already played in Juventus history. In 1903, when the Italians were looking to replace their existing pink shirts, team member John Savage contacted a friend back in England who sent a shipment of Notts County's black and white striped shirts that have since become a Juventus trademark.
The match itself did not go according to plan for the hosts, who took a 1-0 lead with a Luca Toni goal in the 53rd minute, only to concede a strike from Lee Hughes with only three minutes left. Still, the move turned out to have a positive effect on the team, who went on to have an undefeated season in Serie A to win their first league title since 2003.
Built over a period of two and a half years at a construction cost of €120 million, Juventus Stadium is the latest in a string of home grounds for the Bianconeri, including the Stadio Olimpico (where thet played from 1933 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2011) and the Stadio delle Alpi (1990-2006). To mark the occasion, they invited Notts County for a friendly.
The invitation was a nod to the significant role Notts County had already played in Juventus history. In 1903, when the Italians were looking to replace their existing pink shirts, team member John Savage contacted a friend back in England who sent a shipment of Notts County's black and white striped shirts that have since become a Juventus trademark.
The match itself did not go according to plan for the hosts, who took a 1-0 lead with a Luca Toni goal in the 53rd minute, only to concede a strike from Lee Hughes with only three minutes left. Still, the move turned out to have a positive effect on the team, who went on to have an undefeated season in Serie A to win their first league title since 2003.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
4 April 2009 - Hungry Like The Wolves
On 4 April 2009, upstart Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg reached the top of the table by crushing the previous season's champions, Bayern Munich, 5-1 before a sellout crowd of over 31,000 at Wolfsburg's Volkswagen Arena. The small northern German side never looked back, remaining at the top to claim their first Bundesliga title at the end of the season.Wolfsburg entered the match full of optimism, riding a seven-game winning streak that started in the first week of February with a 2-0 home win over VfL Bochum. And they had already beaten Bayern in Munich 2-4 earlier in the season.
On the day, Wolfsburg and Bayern were tied for second, even on points (48), goals scored (53), and goals allowed (31). The sides remained even through the first 45 minutes, exchanging late first-half goals from Wolfsburg's Christian Gentner and Bayern's Luca Toni. But in the second half, the balance shifted in Wolfsburg's favor with a quick brace from Bosnia striker Edin Džeko (63', 66'), then a goal from his Brazilian teammate Grafite (74'). Grafite (pictured) later matched his strike partner's tally, capping off the win with a brilliant 77th-minute backheel that was hailed as one of the best Bundesliga goals in history.
The win was especially sweet for manager Felix Magath, who arrived in Wolfsburg in 2007 after having been sacked from Bayern earlier in the year. It lifted Wolfsburg into first place, where they remained for the rest of the season after winning six and drawing two of their last eight matches.
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