Dramatic Bundesliga Finale and the NBA's second highest-scoring match. The main clashes of 2023

The year 2023 is coming to a close, marking the perfect time for a recap. We've already covered the major sports events of this year, but in this piece, let's remember the standout matches that took place in 2023 and will surely be etched in memory for a long time.

Magnificent Goal-Fest in the Premier League

Chelsea and Manchester City served up one of the most memorable matches of the year during the 12th round of the ongoing English Premier League. City, considered the clear favorite, visited Stamford Bridge. However, Chelsea, amidst a restructuring phase, displayed brilliant attacking football as well.

The excitement began in the middle of the first half when Erling Haaland confidently converted a penalty to open the scoring. "The Blues" quickly equalized a few minutes later and then went ahead. However, just before half-time, after Akandji's strike, the score leveled once again. In the first half of the second period, both teams exchanged goals again, and a precise strike by Rodri in the 86th minute seemed to secure victory for the visitors. However, the final twist in the match came from City's former player Cole Palmer, who calmly converted a penalty awarded for Ruben Dias' foul in the 11-meter spot.

Between both teams, a total of 19 shots hit the target, creating numerous goal-scoring opportunities. This match will certainly be remembered by neutral fans for a long time.

English Premier League, 12th Round, November 12

Chelsea - Manchester City - 4:4 (Silva 29, Sterling 37, Jackson 67, Palmer 90+5 — Haaland 25, 47, Akandji 45+1, Rodri 86)

One of the Greatest Wimbledon Finals

A young Spaniard swiftly entered the ranks of the world's strongest tennis players, showcasing mature gameplay beyond his years. At Wimbledon, Alcaraz emerged as one of the main favorites, having lost only two sets to opponents on his way to the final. Djokovic, though giving away only two sets as well, faced tougher competition, raising doubts about his game form. One might have thought the legendary Serb was conserving energy, as he had not faced formidable adversaries on the grass courts in recent years.

The first set validated these assumptions: Novak left no chances for the young Alcaraz and confidently won 6-1. In the beginning of the second set, both players exchanged breaks and decided the winner only in the tie-break, which the Spaniard won. He then comfortably claimed the third set. However, Djokovic rallied, thanks to two games won on Alcaraz's serve, taking the match into the deciding fifth set. In the fifth set, youth prevailed over experience: in a tough battle, the Spaniard won 6-4 and defended his title as the world's top-ranked player.

The tennis players treated the fans to one of the best matches at Wimbledon in recent years, and after the game, they praised each other. Alcaraz won his first Wimbledon, solidifying his position among the best tennis players globally. It's now confidently said that Djokovic has found a worthy competitor.

Wimbledon, Men's Final, July 16

Carlos Alcaraz - Novak Djokovic - 1:6, 7:6, 6:1, 3:6, 6:4.

Decisive Step for Manchester City on the Path to Champions League Victory

Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side once again attempted to reach the footballing summit in Europe. The "Cityzens" confidently navigated the group stage and in the early knockout stages, they defeated Leipzig and Bayern Munich.

In the semi-finals, fate brought them face-to-face with another European football titan, Real Madrid. The first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu ended in a 1-1 draw, a result that seemed quite fair. Real arrived in England in good spirits, and the outcome of the first leg stirred anticipation among Man City fans. However, a dominant first half by Guardiola's men allowed the team to celebrate a crucial victory and secure their second final appearance in three years.

Manchester simply overwhelmed their illustrious opponent in their typical attacking style, and the final match against Inter Milan was expected to be an almost effortless walk. Bookmakers considered the English team clear favorites, but the match was a hard-fought battle. Thanks to Rodri's lone goal, Manchester City clinched their first-ever UEFA Champions League title in their history.

UEFA Champions League. Semi-Final, Second Leg. May 17

Manchester City - Real Madrid - 4:0 (Silva 23, 37, Akandji 76, Alvarez 90+1)

Dramatic Bundesliga Finale

The previous season in the German Bundesliga maintained suspense until the final matchday for the first time in a while. Borussia Dortmund led Bayern Munich by two points before the concluding match and, with a win over Mainz, would have become champions, interrupting Munich's long-standing dominance. Bayern needed a victory against Cologne and hoped for Dortmund's slip-up.

The first half at the Signal Iduna Park shocked "BVB" fans: their favorites trailed 0-2, and Sebastian Allee missed a penalty. Bayern, on the other hand, was narrowly leading away against Cologne and topped the table in real-time. In the second half, Dortmund threw all their might into the attack, managing to pull one back in the 69th minute. Simultaneously, Cologne players equalized. With this scenario, Borussia would have been the leader, but a goal by Musiala, a minute before the end of the match, allowed Bayern to snatch victory. "Die Schwarzgelben" also scored again, but a draw wasn't enough for them to win the championship.

Disappointment reigned after the match in Dortmund, as everything seemed within the grasp of Edin Terzic's squad. Eventually, both teams gathered an equal number of points, but Bayern topped the table on additional parameters, claiming their 11th consecutive championship.

Bundesliga. Matchday 34. May 27

Cologne - Bayern Munich - 1:2 (Ljubicic 81 — Coman 8, Musiala 89)

Borussia Dortmund - Mainz - 2:2 (Guerreiro 69, Zule 90+6 — Glatzel-Olsen 15, Onisiwo 24) Missed Penalty: Allee 19 (Borussia Dortmund)

Dramatic Finish in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship

During the summer, Romania and Georgia hosted the final stage of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship. In the tournament's final match on the football field, England and Spain faced off. The game turned out to be an intense contest, rivaling the passion of a senior UEFA European Championship final.

Both national teams featured many key players from their respective league's top clubs. Many of these players, after that championship, now perform in leading European leagues. Traf, Colville, Jones, Gibbs-White, Palmer, Gordon, Pacheco, Baena, Sanset, Gomez, Elliott, Veiga — this is far from a complete list of those who played in that match and now hold a high reputation in their clubs.

The lone goal in the match came from Liverpool's midfielder Curtis Jones towards the end of the first half. One can recall numerous yellow cards, two reds, and a missed penalty in the 90+9th minute by Spanish forward Abel Ruiz, who couldn't outplay James Trafford, then on loan at modest Bolton from the English League 1. It's worth mentioning that after that tournament, where the English team conceded no goals, the goalkeeper permanently moved to Burnley.

UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2023. Final. July 8

England U21 – Spain U21 – 1:0. Jones 45+4 Missed Penalty: Ruiz 90+9 (Spain)

The Most High-Scoring NBA Game in the 21st Century

The Clippers and the Sacramento Kings clashed in Los Angeles during the regular season of the National Basketball Association and put on a spectacular show for the local audience.

The first quarter ended with an equal score of 40:40, and at halftime, the home team held a four-point advantage. In the third quarter, the Clippers increased their lead to seven points. However, in the final stretch of the game, the Kings managed to level the score, pushing the match into overtime. At the end of regulation time, the score was 153:153, and it was only in the second overtime that Sacramento clinched a minimal victory of 176:175.

This game broke the record for the highest-scoring game in recent NBA history, falling just 19 points short of the all-time record. It's worth noting that the highest-scoring game in basketball history was played in December 1983, where the Detroit Pistons defeated the Denver Nuggets with a score of 186:184.

NBA. Regular Season. February 25

Los Angeles Clippers - Sacramento Kings - 175:176 (40:40; 40:36; 37:34; 36:43; 22:23)

The Day the World Discovered German Hockey

In the spring of 2023, Finland and Latvia hosted the Ice Hockey World Championship, during which the German national team caused a real sensation. In the group stage, Germany lost three initial matches but then rallied, securing victories in the next four games. This allowed them to reach the playoffs from the fourth position. The Americans, in the group stage, garnered seven victories in seven games and confidently became group winners. In the quarterfinals, both teams secured synchronous victories and met in the semifinals to battle for a spot in the decisive match.

At the start of the first period, the Americans already led 2-0, seemingly on track for a logical victory. However, to the surprise of many, the German team managed to equalize with two goals before the end of the first period. By the end of the second period, they were trailing again. Germany was only able to equalize and force overtime a minute before the end of the third period. In overtime, the Germans created a sensation by scoring the winning goal through Frederik Tiffels.

In the final, there was no further surprise, although the Germans led twice during the match. In the third period, the Canadians scored three unanswered goals and became world champions for the 28th time in history. This silver medal was the first for the German team in the last 70 years, and their performance in this tournament gave German fans a reason to be proud.

World Championship. Semifinal. May 27

USA - Germany - 3:4 (2:2; 1:0; 0:1; 0:1)