Happy New Year
From The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue.
Stanford: 2014 Foster Farms Bowl Champions
Stanford (8-5) did its part to keep the Pac-12’s perfect bowl record in play this bowl season. The Cardinal were dominant in a 45-21 victory over Maryland (7-6), improving the Pac-12 bowl record to a clean 4-0 this season.
Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan was locked in from the start, ending his night with a pair of touchdown passes and plenty of short, accurate passes for 189 yards and 50 rushing yards. Cardinal running back Remound Wright rushed for three touchdowns to help push Stanford to a big lead in the first half. Wright was unstoppable down close to the end zone, scoring all three of his first-half touchdowns from inside the four-yard line. Having that offensive line providing a nice push against the Maryland defense certainly had an impact as well.
There were very few offensive highlights for Maryland in their first bowl game representing the Big Ten. Will Likely returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, although it came in the fourth quarter with Stanford still leading 42-14 following the score. Stefon Diggs returned to the field after missing the last few games of the season due to an injury, and he led the Terps with 106 receiving yards on nine catches. Quarterback C.J. Brown struggled to find consistency during the game, and he was picked off once and under pressure and sacked multiple times. He did run for a touchdown on his final play on the field of his career, so that was nice.
Stanford was a mess inside the red zone for a while this season, but you would not have been able to guess that if the Foster Farms Bowl was your first time watching the Cardinal this season. Stanford scored five red zone touchdowns. If the Cardinal can take that and the success seen in the regular season finale against UCLA into the spring, the Cardinal should once again be considered a team to pay attention to in the Pac-12 in 2015. There are going to be plenty of holes to fill though, on both sides of the football. The defense should be hit especially hard, but David Shaw‘s program has found a way to continue to play well on defense and that is not expected to change anytime soon.
Shaw now has two bowl victories to his name. That is as many bowl victories as Stanford had from 1993 through the end of the Jim Harbaugh era in 2010.
The Pac-12 remains the only conference without a loss this bowl season. At 4-0, the Pac-12 now owns the best bowl record of any conference this season, with Conference USA and the SEC each trailing with 4-1 records. The Big Ten is now a game under .500 at 2-3. The ACC (3-5) and Big 12 (0-3) are also struggling so far this bowl season.
Georgia: 2014 Belk Bowl Champions
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Freshman running back Nick Chubb ran for a Georgia bowl-record 266 yards and two touchdowns as the No. 13 Bulldogs defeated No. 20 Louisville 37-14 in the Belk Bowl on Tuesday night at Bank of America Stadium.
Chubb carried a season-high 33 times, including a 30-yard sprint before his 8-yard touchdown scamper with 2:02 left.
Chubb finished 17 yards shy of Herschel Walker’s single-game school record set against Vanderbilt in 1980.
Georgia starting quarterback Hutson Mason did his damage in the first half in his final appearance for the Bulldogs (10-3).
Chubb’s 82-yard run — a Belk Bowl record — on the first play after a punt pinned the Bulldogs at their 3-yard line set up running back Sony Michel’s 2-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Mason didn’t play after late in the second quarter because of what school officials referred to as vision issues.
Georgia’s Marshall Morgan kicked three field goals, including a 41-yarder with 5:20 remaining.
Georgia safety Dominick Sanders intercepted two passes. Bulldogs safety Damian Swann picked off a fourth-quarter pass one play after Louisville’s defense made a fourth-down stop.
Georgia also lost safety Quincy Mauger to a second-quarter concussion and receiver Michael Bennett to a third-quarter knee injury.
Louisville (9-4), completing its first season as an Atlantic Coast Conference member, couldn’t crank up enough offense after scoring at least 30 points in its last five regular-season games The Cardinals scored 30 or more points in their last five regular-season games.
Cardinals running back Brandon Radcliff scored on a 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter on a 10-play drive. Senior receiver DeVante Parker notched eight catches for 120 receiving yards, eclipsing 100 yards for the 10th time in his career.
Georgia, which led 20-7 at halftime, put together a strong second quarter, taking the lead on Morgan’s 41-yard field goal. Chubb’s tackle-breaking, 31-yard touchdown run pushed the lead to 17-7 with 6:40 left in the first half.
Sanders made a 40-yard interception return to set up the Bulldogs at the Louisville 9. This time, Georgia settled for Morgan’s 22-yard field goal with 4:58 remaining.
Chubb carried a season-high 33 times, including a 30-yard sprint before his 8-yard touchdown scamper with 2:02 left.
Chubb finished 17 yards shy of Herschel Walker’s single-game school record set against Vanderbilt in 1980.
Georgia starting quarterback Hutson Mason did his damage in the first half in his final appearance for the Bulldogs (10-3).
Chubb’s 82-yard run — a Belk Bowl record — on the first play after a punt pinned the Bulldogs at their 3-yard line set up running back Sony Michel’s 2-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Mason didn’t play after late in the second quarter because of what school officials referred to as vision issues.
Georgia’s Marshall Morgan kicked three field goals, including a 41-yarder with 5:20 remaining.
Georgia safety Dominick Sanders intercepted two passes. Bulldogs safety Damian Swann picked off a fourth-quarter pass one play after Louisville’s defense made a fourth-down stop.
Georgia also lost safety Quincy Mauger to a second-quarter concussion and receiver Michael Bennett to a third-quarter knee injury.
Louisville (9-4), completing its first season as an Atlantic Coast Conference member, couldn’t crank up enough offense after scoring at least 30 points in its last five regular-season games The Cardinals scored 30 or more points in their last five regular-season games.
Cardinals running back Brandon Radcliff scored on a 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter on a 10-play drive. Senior receiver DeVante Parker notched eight catches for 120 receiving yards, eclipsing 100 yards for the 10th time in his career.
Georgia, which led 20-7 at halftime, put together a strong second quarter, taking the lead on Morgan’s 41-yard field goal. Chubb’s tackle-breaking, 31-yard touchdown run pushed the lead to 17-7 with 6:40 left in the first half.
Sanders made a 40-yard interception return to set up the Bulldogs at the Louisville 9. This time, Georgia settled for Morgan’s 22-yard field goal with 4:58 remaining.
Georgia got the ball back at the Louisville 31 when punter Ryan Johnson’s fourth-down pass on a fake punt was underthrown. On the next play, Cardinals cornerback Terell Floyd intercepted backup Ramsey’s pass at the Louisville 3.
Earlier, Georgia cashed in on its first possession with a touchdown as receiver Chris Conley caught a 44-yard touchdown strike from Mason. That capped an eight-play, 90-yard drive.
Louisville’s first scoring drive went 84 yards, with the highlight coming on tight end Gerald Christian’s one-handed grab in the back of the end zone of a Kyle Bolin pass. It came on a third-and-goal play from the Georgia 11.
NOTES: This was the first meeting between Georgia and Louisville. … For the first time, there’s a Top 25 matchup in the Belk Bowl’s 13-year history. … It’s a new era for the Belk Bowl by adding the Southeastern Conference providing one of the teams. … Louisville lost to North Carolina State in the 2011 Belk Bowl. … This is Georgia’s 50th bowl game, with its first postseason outing in Charlotte. … This was Georgia’s third ACC opponent of the season, opening by defeating Clemson and closing the regular season with a loss to Georgia Tech. … Both teams posted November victories against Kentucky. … Louisville RB Michael Dyer was removed from the team’s bowl roster because of academic issues. … In days leading to the game, Georgia announced that standout RB Todd Gurley is entering the NFL Draft. He has been out with a knee injury, preventing him from playing in his home state’s bowl.
Bailando
Yo te miro y se me corta la respiración
Cuando tú me miras se me sube el corazón
(Me palpita lento el corazón)
Y en un silencio tu mirada dice mil palabras
La noche en la que te suplico que no salga el sol
(Bailando, bailando, bailando, bailando)
Tu cuerpo y el mío llenando el vacío
Subiendo y bajando (subiendo y bajando)
(Bailando, bailando, bailando, bailando)
Ese fuego por dentro me va enloqueciendo
Me va saturando
Con tu física y tu química también tu anatomía
La cerveza y el tequila y tu boca con la mía
Ya no puedo más (ya no puedo más)
Ya no puedo más (ya no puedo más)
Con esta melodía, tu color, tu fantasía
Con tu filosofía mi cabeza está vacía
Y ya no puedo más (ya no puedo más)
Ya no puedo más (ya no puedo más)
Yo quiero estar contigo, vivir contigo
Bailar contigo, tener contigo
Una noche loca (una noche loca)
Y besar tu boca (y besar tu boca)
Yo quiero estar contigo, vivir contigo
Bailar contigo, tener contigo una noche loca
Con tremenda nota
(Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh, ooooh)
Tú me miras y me llevas a otra dimensión
(Estoy en otra dimensión)
Tus latidos aceleran a mi corazón
(Tus latidos aceleran a mi corazón)
Qué ironía del destino no poder tocarte
Abrazarte y sentir la magia de tu olor
(Bailando, bailando, bailando, bailando)
Tu cuerpo y el mio llenando el vacío
Subiendo y bajando (subiendo y bajando)
(Bailando, bailando, bailando, bailando)
Ese fuego por dentro me va enloqueciendo
Me va saturando
Con tu física y tu química también tu anatomía
La cerveza y el tequila y tu boca con la mía
Ya no puedo más (ya no puedo más)
Ya no puedo más (ya no puedo más)
Con esta melodía, tu color, tu fantasía
Con tu filosofía mi cabeza está vacía
Y ya no puedo más (ya no puedo más)
Ya no puedo más (ya no puedo más)
Yo quiero estar contigo, vivir contigo
Bailar contigo, tener contigo
Una noche loca (una noche loca)
Y besar tu boca (y besar tu boca)
Yo quiero estar contigo, vivir contigo
Bailar contigo, tener contigo una noche loca
Con tremenda loca
(Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh, ooooh
Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh, ooooh
Ooooh bailando amor ooooh
Bailando amor ooooh es que se me va el dolor
Ooooh).
Notre Dame: 2014 Music City Bowl Champions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Notre Dame and senior kicker Kyle Brindza got the finish they had missed too often the last half of the season. Beating a Southeastern Conference team in southern territory only made it that much sweeter.
Brindza hit a 32-yard field goal as time expired, and Notre Dame upset LSU 31-28 in a Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl shootout Tuesday.
"This was a matchup that we had wanted at Notre Dame, and I know LSU felt the same way," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. "We wanted to be challenged. We were disappointed in the way we played obviously at the end of the year, and our guys wanted the opportunity to finish the season the right way."
The Tigers (No. 22 CFP, No. 23 AP) were unsuccessful on a fake field goal at the end of the first half, a call that stood on review even though replays appeared to show the ball crossing the goal line. The Fighting Irish (8-5) also blocked a 40-yard field goal attempt by Trent Domingue early in the fourth quarter.
Kelly watched the fake field goal on the video board and thought the Irish stopped holder Brad Kragthorpe short. LSU coach Les Miles thought Kragthorpe scored and wasn't happy the play wasn't overturned for a touchdown. Miles also wasn't pleased at the lack of better replays that might have shown Kragthorpe got the ball over the line before his knee went down.
"The guy that carried the ball, forcing it, said he absolutely scored," Miles said. "Kids will be kids, but this guy's going to tell the truth."
Notre Dame got the ball with 5:41 left and never gave it back, driving 71 yards in 14 plays before Brindza finished off the win.
"We dictated the outcome by controlling the football," Kelly said. "Obviously, if LSU has the football with No. 7 (Leonard Fournette), he's a game changer. We certainly couldn't give them the football back."
Kelly went with sophomore Malik Zaire for his first career start, but he also played senior Everett Golson, using both quarterbacks on the winning drive.
Notre Dame held the ball for 37 minutes but finished with a 449-436 edge in total offense against the SEC's toughest defense thanks only to that final drive. Golson was 4 of 5 for 50 yards passing on it, including a 12-yard completion to Ben Koyack on third-and-10. Zaire finished off the drive with a couple of rushes to set up Brindza.
Brindza had missed 6 of 9 field goals in the last five games of the regular season, including a 32-yarder late in a loss to Louisville.
"To leave a program so historic like this in this kind of fashion is great," Brindza said. "It's a blessing for me, but also to be able to help win a game for all my teammates is a bigger blessing."
The Fighting Irish were ranked as high as fifth before dropping four straight and five of their final six, struggling in the fourth quarter against Florida State, Northwestern, Arizona State and Louisville. Kelly set a target of controlling the ball for 9 minutes each quarter, and they beat that by a minute for the game.
Zaire rushed 22 times for 96 yards and was 12 of 15 for 96 yards passing. He threw for a TD and ran for another. Golson was 6 of 11 for 90 yards passing, and Kelly said the senior needed a painkilling shot after taking a hit to his ribs earlier in the game.
LSU (8-5) lost for the first time this season to a team not from the Southeastern Conference's Western Division. Fournette ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns, and the freshman also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score.
Miles said after the game he heard media reports that defensive coordinator John Chavis is leaving for Texas A&M but planned to make another pitch to keep the coach nicknamed Chief.
The Tigers' final three touchdowns took all of 38 seconds. Fournette had his kick return, and his 89-yard TD run later gave the Tigers their first lead of the game at 28-21 with 6:14 left in the third quarter. In between, Anthony Jennings connected with John Diarse on a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
But LSU didn't score again after Fournette's TD run, the longest play from scrimmage in this bowl's history. Isaac Rochell blocked Domingue's field goal attempt with 11:56 left.
Late in the first half, Notre Dame stopped LSU at the Irish 1 on a third-down pass, so the Tigers lined up for a field goal attempt. But Kragthorpe took off on a fake, bumping into teammate Terrence McGee on his way to the end zone. Officials ruled Kragthorpe short, and the call wasn't reversed.
Arkansas: 2014 Texas Bowl Champions
At SEC Media Days in Birmingham last summer, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema addressed a room of reporters as he previewed the season. “I'll take a minute to talk about last year,” Bielema said. He took a long pause. “That's about all I need to do.”
Nothing really needed to be said about the Razorbacks’ 2013 campaign. InBielema’s first season in Fayetteville, the Hogs lost nine straight games to end the year and finished 3-9. That mark included a 0-8 SEC record. The learning curve appeared steep for Bielema, who left a Wisconsin program fresh off three straight Rose Bowl berths to inherit an SEC bottom-feeder.
On Monday, Arkansas put a bow on a season that put last year’s forgettable campaign behind it. Bielema’s crew embarrassed Texas 31-7 in the Texas Bowl to finish 7-6. One year ago, the Razorbacks looked as far away from SEC contention as any team in the league. Now, the Hogs are bowl champions and on the cusp of returning to relevance.
Arkansas didn’t seem fazed by the common advice not to mess with Texas. In fact, it floored the gas and didn’t let up against the Longhorns. The Hogs jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the second quarter before Texas running back Johnathan Gray fumbled in his own end zone. Arkansas’ Taiwan Johnson hopped on the loose ball to give his team a 17-0 lead with 8:13 until halftime.
Bielema’s defense did a stellar job against Tyrone Swoopes and the Texas offense. The ‘Horns managed a stunning 59 yards of offense on 43 plays (1.37 yards per play). At the beginning of the fourth quarter, coach Charlie Strong’s team had 23 total yards. This is a Texas team that matured as the season progressed –- which points to a positive future under Strong –- but it simply didn’t show up in Houston.
For the Razorbacks, seven wins won’t lead to an SEC title, especially in the SEC West. However, Bielema simply needed to take a step forward with this roster this year. One could argue Arkansas took a few big steps. It earned its first SEC win under Bielema with a 17-0 win over LSU on Nov. 15. The Razorbacks routed Ole Miss 30-0 the next week. They also lost close games to Alabama and Texas A&M. No matter who the Hogs faced, they showed plenty of fight.
Arkansas won’t reach a New Year’s bowl anytime soon if it can’t hang with the SEC West’s big boys. But the program graduated from SEC doormat to conference spoiler in just one season, and there’s no telling what the future holds under Bielema. The Razorbacks can now enjoy some momentum during the offseason, which they didn’t have last year. Next season, that should at least give Bielema something to talk about.
Clemson: 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl Champions
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Clemson quarterback Cole Stoudt has had several moments during the 2014 season he tried hard to forget.
The senior ended his career with a performance worth savoring.
Stoudt threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, and 17th-ranked Clemson routed Oklahoma 40-6 in the Russell Athletic Bowl on Monday.
"It all comes down to who makes the big plays, and we made the most this game," Stoudt said. "We really didn't hit the brakes at all."
The Tigers (10-3) reached double-digit victories for the fourth consecutive season. Clemson was 10-4 in 2011, 11-2 in 2012 and 11-2 in 2013.
"It was our night tonight. We knew it would be a tough challenge, but we were ready," Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said.
Oklahoma (8-5) had five turnovers, including three interceptions by sophomore quarterbackTrevor Knight.
Stoudt began the season as the Tigers' starting quarterback, before struggles cost him the job to freshman standout Deshaun Watson.
Injuries to Watson gave Stoudt several opportunities to regain the spot, but he never was able to put together the kind of outing that gave the coaching staff lasting confidence.
The ultimate low point came in November when Watson was lost to a knee injury in the first quarter of the Tigers' matchup at Georgia Tech. Stoudt came in to replace him but threw three interceptions in a 28-6 loss that ended Clemson's six-game win streak.
Stoudt was a different presence against the Sooners on Monday, completing 26 of 36 attempts for a season-high 319 yards. He was sacked four times, but Clemson never turned the ball over.
"I wouldn't say this was redemption," Stoudt said. "This was my last game. I was prepared to do my best. I wanted to be the best I could be and just enjoy the last game, and that is what we did."
As good as Stoudt was, the Tigers' defense was equally impressive.
The Tigers, which came in ranked No. 1 in the nation in total defense, held the Sooners' offense to just 275 yards.
With most of the Oklahoma section of the announced crowd of 40,071 already gone from Citrus Bowl Stadium, Swinney pulled the senior starters from his defense early in the fourth quarter.
It wasn't until then that the Sooners finally were able to score their first touchdown with just less than seven minutes to play.
Sooners coach Bob Stoops shied away from assigning blame but acknowledged Oklahoma's lofty yearly standards aren't being met.
"You can't play one-handed," Stoops said. "I thought overall we did a really nice job of running the football, but the lack of execution in the passing game was a major factor as well.
"We had our chances. We had our shots, but we didn't make anything happen."
After the loss, Sooners All-Big 12 linebacker Eric Striker said he would return for his senior season.
"I don't want to go out like this," Striker said. "I'll be back at OU because I'm a winner."
Clemson was efficient in all phases but also was the beneficiary of three early Sooners turnovers in building a 27-0 halftime lead. A 47-yard interception return for a touchdown by Ben Boulwarewas part of a 17-point first quarter.
Stoudt completed his first six passes and finished the half with a pair of touchdown throws -- a 65-yarder to Artavis Scott and a 26-yarder to Mike Williams.
Tigers' kicker Ammon Lakip also did his part to deepen the hole for Oklahoma, connecting on a pair of field goals, including a career-long kick from 49 yards in the second quarter.
The Sooners were out of sync on both sides of the ball during the opening 30 minutes.
Knight was just 5-for-14, with a pair of interceptions. Samaje Perine rushed for 62 yards but also had a fumble inside the Tigers' 25 that ended the Sooners' best drive late in the second quarter.
Stoops said changes were possible at quarterback and elsewhere.
"It's fair to say quarterback position is open," he said. "With guys we have coming in and inconsistency we have overall. But every position is open come spring time. I'm not going to sit here and create a problem, but of course there will be competition."
Trailing 20-0, Oklahoma's defense nearly grabbed a bit of momentum when defensive endCharles Tapper appeared to tip, intercept and return Stoudt's pass for a touchdown. But the play was called back for offside.
Stoudt then promptly hooked up with Williams for the Tigers' final scoring play of the half.
The Associated Press and ESPN.com's Jake Trotter contributed to this report.
Texas A&M: 2014 Liberty Bowl Champions
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin permanently dismissed student assistant coach Michael Richardson from the Aggies' program Tuesday as a result of Richardson's actions in Monday's AutoZone Liberty Bowl, in which he struck two West Virginia players.
Sumlin issued a statement Tuesday afternoon detailing his decision and apologizing to the West Virginia players and coach Dana Holgorsen.
"Upon returning to College Station last night, I had the opportunity to gather information and watch clips of one of our student assistant coaches initiating physical contact on two separate occasions with a West Virginia player," Sumlin said. "I am extremely disappointed and embarrassed, as his behavior reflected poorly on our program.
"On behalf of the Texas A&M football program, I want to apologize to Daryl Worley and to Andrew Buie as well as to Coach Holgorsen and the West Virginia family for the inexcusable actions of the student assistant. I removed him from the sideline at halftime of yesterday's game after being informed of the incidents and, after further review, have permanently dismissed him from our football program."
Cameras showed Richardson striking West Virginia players who ventured out of bounds during Monday's first half on two separate occasions. He used his elbow to strike Worley, a cornerback, in the back of the head and shoved Buie, a running back, in another incident.
Richardson took to Twitter earlier Tuesday to express remorse for his behavior.
On Monday night, Worley tweeted that he would "see [Richardson] again in life," but on Tuesday had softened his stance and spoke of both him and Richardson needing to take the high road.
A class of 2012 signee out of DeSoto (Texas) High, Richardson played linebacker as a true freshman for Texas A&M before suffering a career-ending neck injury in a Nov. 17, 2012, win over Sam Houston State. He had surgery shortly thereafter and has served as a student assistant coach for the Aggies since his playing days concluded.
Sumlin also apologized to Texas A&M fans in his statement for Richardson's actions.
"I also want to apologize to the Aggie faithful, as they deserve a program to be proud of, not only in our play, but in the integrity and respect we show on and off the field," Sumlin said. "This student assistant coach's actions are not representative of our program."
Real Madrid: 2014 FIFA Club World Cup Champions
The praise heaped on Real Madrid by the team’s FIFA Club World Cup rivals before the tournament turned out to be justified. The hot favourites more than lived up to expectations in Morocco by winning their fourth trophy of 2014, making this the most successful calendar year in the club’s history.
The ruthless manner in which Madrid brushed the opposition aside may have had a familiar look to it – after all, Carlo Ancelotti’s men had conquered Europe in May by winning the UEFA Champions League for the tenth time. But the team’s current 22 game winning streak, the most recent of which came with a 2-0 victory over San Lorenzo in the final, has taken Los Merengues to another level. Madrid, who disappointed at their last appearance at the Club World Cup in 2000, will now make sure the trophy takes pride of place in the Santiagao Bernabeu cabinet.
"It’s a fitting end to an unforgettable year. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and delighted with our performances. For me, Real Madrid are the best team in the world," said Ancelotti who, after winning the Club World Cup in 2007 with Milan, is now a two-time world club champion.
But while the manager is entitled to enjoy his team’s success, he is also already thinking about the future. "I’m proud to say that I have a very professional, serious and focused group of players to work with. I'd be delighted if we could repeat what we’ve achieved this year.”
It’s a fitting end to an unforgettable year. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and delighted with our performances. For me, Real Madrid are the best team in the world.
It would take a brave man to bet against it. With a talented, versatile squad, Madrid showed how dangerous they are once again in Morocco, even though their biggest star did not find the net. This season’s top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score in the wins over Cruz Azul (4-0) and San Lorenzo, but still managed to play a key role in his team’s triumph. And as proof of the team’s versatility, it was a central defender who scored the decisive goals.
Plaudits and records
Sergio Ramos set Madrid on the road to victory in both the semi-final and the final, thanks to the same strength, determination and positional awareness he displayed when scoring the dramatic late equaliser in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid. The adidas Golden Ball award he received after the tournament was a fitting reward for this goalscoring defender’s heroics.
Sergio Ramos set Madrid on the road to victory in both the semi-final and the final, thanks to the same strength, determination and positional awareness he displayed when scoring the dramatic late equaliser in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid. The adidas Golden Ball award he received after the tournament was a fitting reward for this goalscoring defender’s heroics.
“It has been a really memorable year for me, and I'm delighted to have been able to contribute goals in important matches. It’s the happiest phase of my life, both on a personal and professional level," said Ramos. "I can’t ask for much more than this, but tomorrow I’ll start to think about our next trophy. We know this team can keep on achieving great things.”
In terms of making history, Real, who have now equalled Milan’s record of four World and Intercontinental Cup wins, a number of players had special reason to celebrate: Iker Casillas, as the only survivor from the team that came fourth in 2000; Toni Kroos, the midfield colossus and provider of the passes for Ramos’ goals, who won his third world title in 12 months; and Cristiano Ronaldo, who after winning the Club World Cup with Manchester United in Japan in 2008, becomes one of the few players to have won the trophy with two different teams. And the incredible achievements of this team may be just beginning.
No surprises
Not only did Real Madrid’s triumph in Morocco represent the climax of the club’s phenomenal current run, but it also confirmed the recent domination of European sides in the tournament. It was the seventh win in 11 editions for the UEFA representatives, and the third time an Argentinian team has been defeated in the final. After overcoming modest Auckland City in the semi-final with a 2-1 extra time win, San Lorenzo could not repeat the heroics that won them the Copa Libertadores.
Not only did Real Madrid’s triumph in Morocco represent the climax of the club’s phenomenal current run, but it also confirmed the recent domination of European sides in the tournament. It was the seventh win in 11 editions for the UEFA representatives, and the third time an Argentinian team has been defeated in the final. After overcoming modest Auckland City in the semi-final with a 2-1 extra time win, San Lorenzo could not repeat the heroics that won them the Copa Libertadores.
I can’t ask for much more than this, but tomorrow I’ll start to think about our next trophy. We know this team can keep on achieving great things.
Still, the team showed great courage against a side which even the San Lorenzo players had described as "the best in the world” before the tournament. "We knew it’d be a very tough game but we didn’t fall far short. We made a couple of errors [for Madrid’s two goals] and you can’t afford a single moment of carelessness against a team like this with players of this class,” said Leandro Romagnoli after the final.
But even if the champions made fulfilling their role as favourites look easy, the Club World Cup in Morocco hardly lacked surprises and great stories. The biggest shock of all was undoubtedly provided by New Zealand’s Auckland City, who, after numerous unsuccessful appearances at the tournament, finally earned their place in history.
Tremendously improved on previous years, the semi-professional team led by Catalan coach Ramon Tribulietx recorded confident victories over Moghreb Tetouan and ES Setif, gave an organised, skilful display against San Lorenzo in the semi-final, and eventually claimed an improbable third place after overcoming Cruz Azul on penalties.
Nor was Auckland’s success the result of the team riding its luck. "I'm so proud of what we’ve achieved. We didn’t lose a single game [in normal time], and we deserved to come third because we were fantastic from start to finish. These players are the real moral winners," said Tribulietx.
Despite coming from a country accustomed to a more direct style of play, the impact of Auckland’s tactical innovations were clearly visible: the team made headlines around the world, and the players are guaranteed an unprecedented welcome back home. No one will underestimate this team in future tournaments.
Historic moments
According to midfielder Christian Gimenez, there was a sense of shame associated with Cruz Azul’s fourth place finish in Morocco. Although the team started the tournament well enough, in the end they could not avoid another frustrating campaign for Mexico’s representatives at the Club World Cup.
According to midfielder Christian Gimenez, there was a sense of shame associated with Cruz Azul’s fourth place finish in Morocco. Although the team started the tournament well enough, in the end they could not avoid another frustrating campaign for Mexico’s representatives at the Club World Cup.
I'm so proud of what we’ve achieved. We didn’t lose a single game [in normal time], and we deserved to come third because we were fantastic from start to finish. These players are the real moral winners.
Still, at least the team provided one of the most memorable images of the competition during their victory over Western Sydney Wanderers. After putting his team ahead in extra-time in a match played in pouring rain, Hugo Pavone dived chest first into one of the many puddles on the waterlogged pitch in Rabat. "It was like being a child again. When it rained, the best way to celebrate was always to dive into a puddle."
The striker's joy that day came in sharp contrast to the disappointment of the Wanderers players. After the fairy tale of winning the AFC Champions League in 2014, two defeats sent the young Australian side home early. At least they managed to score two great goals in the Match for Fifth Place: one by Romeo Castelen, and the other by Vitor Saba, whose terrific free kick brought to mind Ronaldinho’s goal in last year’s competition. The similarity was no coincidence: the Brazilian spent six months watching Ronaldinho practicing free-kicks when he played for Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro. "I picked up a few tricks," he joked.
In the same game, ES Setif provided African fans with one of their few happy memories of the tournament by claiming fifth place. While Abdelmalik Ziaya scored a marvellous goal, driving a bouncing ball into the top corner, it was goalkeeper Sofiane Khediairia who ultimately emerged as the hero during the penalty shoot-out. Unlike 2013, when Raja Casablanca caused a sensation by reaching the final, the African representatives did not have much cause to celebrate in 2014.
Or perhaps they did. Even though Morocco’s Moghreb Tetouan also failed to impress, the number of white shirts and flags in the stands showed that the fans in Marrakech had adopted Real Madrid as the newest local team. "The support we received from the fans was a pleasant surprise. We felt at home," said Carlo Ancelotti. After that, all he and his players had to do was what they have become very good at doing – win a title, and play some great football. It is becoming something of a habit for this Real Madrid team.
The Stats
Teams: 7
When: 10-20 December, 2014
Final: Real Madrid 2 v 0 San Lorenzo
Games: 8
Goals: 20 (average of 2.5 per game)
Total attendance: 228,021 (average of 28,503 per game)
Teams: 7
When: 10-20 December, 2014
Final: Real Madrid 2 v 0 San Lorenzo
Games: 8
Goals: 20 (average of 2.5 per game)
Total attendance: 228,021 (average of 28,503 per game)
Come Alive
Feeling light inside
Coming back to life
Open up my eyes
Finally alive
Shining in the bright light, bright light
All the children come alive
Shining in the bright light, bright light
All the children come alive
Feeling light inside
Coming back to life
Open up my eyes
Finally alive
Pass it out some more
I hear the lions roar
Deep inside of me
Sayin' "It's time that you are free"
Shining in the bright light, bright light
All the children come alive
Shining in the bright light, bright light
All the children come alive
Shining in the bright light, bright light
All the children come alive
Shining in the bright light, bright light
All the children come alive
We come alive!
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