Innes O'Donnell's Football Review of the Year

2015 was a big year for football and one of the most memorable moments was when Barcelona won the treble.  Barcelona won La Liga by only two points to the mighty Real Madrid and lifted the trophy at Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Calderón Stadium. 3-1 was the score in the Copa del Rey final where Messi scored a brace and Neymar scored at the Nou Camp which was hosting the event.  Barcelona were fantastic in the Champions League mainly because of their frontline of Messi, Suarez and Neymar.  Lionel Messi stole the show against Bayern Munich in the Semi’s scoring a brace and destroying Jerome Boateng and chipping the ball over Worl Cup Winning keeper Manuel Neyer.  In the Champions League Final Barcelona played Juventus who were the Italian champions and they beat them 3-1 with Neymar scoring two goals and Suarez scoring one.

 

Messi, Neymar and Suarez give the 'Dashing White Sergeant a go'

 

For Steven Gerrard 2015 at Liverpool was his final year but it certainly wasn’t his best.  His last home game for Liverpool was against Crystal Palace where they lost 3-1.  Gerrard’s final game for Liverpool was away at Stoke where Liverpool where thrashed 6-1, Gerrard did manage to get on the score sheet but that obviously wasn’t enough.

The 17th December 2015 will remain as a major date in the history of Chelsea as it was the date when club legend Jose Mourinho was sacked.  At the time of his departure Chelsea were just one point away from the relegation places after nine defeats in 16 games. 

 

Adel said hello while Jose waved goodbye in December 2015

 

Jamie Vardy the 28 years old Leicester striker hit the headlines in November after scoring in eleven consecutive Premier League games, ending with Leicester City's 1-1 draw against Manchester United where he had overtaken Ruud van Nistelrooy's previous record from 2003 when the Dutch hitman notched in ten successive matches.

In a match between Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg Robert Lewandowski was subbed on at half time with the score was 1-0 to Wolfsburg.  Lewandowski scored in the 51^st, 52^nd, 55^th, 57^th and 60^th minute.  He scored 5 goals in 9 nine minutes breaking many at Bayern Munich.    

After 99 years of waiting it came down to an Alexis Sanchez penalty against Sergio Romero in July 2015 where Chile claimed the Copa beating Argentina 4-1 on penalties.  It was very special for Chile as the tournament was hosted in Chile.  Before the penalties it was a very close game all it was missing was a goal.  On the way to the final Chile won all their games apart from drawing to Mexcio 3-3. Argentina’s fight to the final was a bit tougher beating Uruguay in the group stage and Colombia in the quarter finals.  Lionel Messi wasn’t at his best in that match although he was the only Argentinean player to score a penalty.  The man of the match was Arturo Vidal and later was named the player of the tournament.  

 

99 years of hurt were ended for Chilie in the Coppa America in 2015. Not a Hibbie among them...!!

 

The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup was held in Canada, with the number of qualifiers increased from 16 to 24, including eight from Europe.  The winners were the USA and they thrashed Japan 5-2 in the final with Carly Lloyd the 2015 FIFA Ballon d’or winner scoring a hat trick.  The biggest win in the tournament was a 10-0 humiliation that Germany launched on Ivory Coast.  England surprised many by earning 3^rd place losing to Japan and beating Germany 1-0 in the bronze medal match.  This was USA’s third WWC tournament wins overtaking Germany with 2 Women’s world cups.

 

 

By Innes O’Donnell.