From stunning goals, emphatic upsets, to come-from-behind wins, from Champions League to UEFA Nations League, from league clashes to Cup games, here are All Football Top 10 matches of 2019 review!
In the hyper-accelerated world of football, it is easy to get lost in the midst of a calendar that never stops. This death-by-football, though, shouldn’t leave you with the illusion that there weren’t high points and low points in this flow of games across the last twelve months.
Here at All Football, we’ve crunched the numbers, watched hours of match highlights and match reports, discussed, shuffled and drawn up a list of the Top 10 football matches from 2019.
But we have to admit that, as with anything like this, there are some notable omissions: Kompany hit stunner in the clash against Leicester to help Man City win the Premier League title last season; Atletico Madrid ran riot against their long-time rivals Real Madrid with 7-3 in the pre-season ICC tournament; Erling Haaland started to amaze the world by scoring nine goals in Norway 12-0 Honduras in the FIFA U-20 World Cup match.
Besides, there are still too many wonderful matches which aren't in our TOP 10 matches list. We cannot forget that Man Utd began their new season with an unbelievable 4-0 win over Lampard's Chelsea; Lewandowski made another miracle with four goals in fifteen minutes in Bayern's 6-0 Red Star. You surely can name more than that.
Well, without further ado, here are the Top 10 football matches of 2019!
10
Man City 6-0 Chelsea: Aguero HAT-TRICK sees City run riot at Etihad and reclaim top spot
Sergio Aguero was Manchester City's hat-trick hero again as they returned to the top of the Premier League in scintillating style by outclassing Chelsea at Etihad Stadium.
The rout started after four minutes when Chelsea were caught napping by Kevin De Bruyne's quick free-kick which left Raheem Sterling to fire in at the far post before Aguero, who had already missed an open goal, curled a magnificent right-foot finish past the stretching Kepa Arrizabalaga from 25 yards.
Chelsea's embarrassment was symbolised by Ross Barkley's inexplicable header straight to the feet of Aguero to poach his second and Ilkay Gundogan capped that early blitz with a low drive.
Aguero completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after 56 minutes following Cesar Azpilicueta's foul on Sterling, his 15th treble for City and a record-equalling 11th in the Premier League, an honour he shares with Alan Shearer. It was also his second in successive home games after his hat-trick in the 3-1 win against Arsenal.
Sterling then piled on the agony for Chelsea with the sixth, turning in from six yards after David Silva's threaded pass released Oleksandr Zinchenko down the left.
9
Man City 4-3 Tottenham (agg 4-4): Llorente & VAR unlikely heroes on Spurs' historic comeback
Tottenham overcame Manchester City in a classic encounter at Etihad Stadium to reach the last four of the Champions League for the first time.
Spurs were protecting a 1-0 lead from the first leg but an opening 21 minutes of chaotic brilliance saw City lead 3-2 on the night as both teams exchanged goals at will.
Bernardo Silva put City level on the night with a shot that deflected past Hugo Lloris, then Sterling arrived on the end of the outstanding Kevin de Bruyne's cross to score at the far post.
It left City effectively needing to win the second half and they looked on course when Sergio Aguero crashed home their fourth after De Bruyne sliced Spurs open before Llorente, on as a first-half substitute for injured Moussa Sissoko, bundled in from a corner via his hip - the goal given after a VAR check for handball.
In one last extraordinary twist, City thought they had snatched victory and Sterling a hat-trick, but emotions switched instantly as VAR had the final word once again, ruling that Aguero was in an offside position as Bernardo Silva diverted the ball into his path.
8
Flamengo 2-1 River: Gabigol's last-minute brace lifts Flamengo to 2nd Copa Libertadores glory
Gabriel Barbosa scored twice in a dramatic final five minutes as Flamengo came from a goal down to beat River Plate 2-1 and win their first Copa Libertadores title since 1981.
The Brazilian giants were second best for much of the match after Rafael Santos Borre swept home from Matias Suarez's pull-back in the 14th minute to the delight of the River fans inside the 80,000-capacity Estadio Monumental in Lima.
Flamengo's best chances of an equaliser came in the space of a few seconds when Barbosa had a shot blocked and Everton Ribeiro's follow up was well held by keeper Franco Armani. But then came the late fightback that turned the final on its head.
First, Barbosa timed his run to perfection to turn in Bruno Henrique's square ball, then the striker on loan from Inter Milan outmuscled the defence in the penalty box to slot in a 92nd-minute winner.
There was still time for two red cards in the final few seconds, with Exequiel Palacios sent off for kicking Henrique while he was on the ground before Flamengo's two-goal hero was sent off for sarcastic applause.
7
Real Madrid 1-4 Ajax (3-5 agg): 3-time reigning champs shockingly KNOCKED OUT of UCL
Scintillating Ajax stunned 13-time European champions Real Madrid at the Bernabeu to progress from a Champions League knockout tie for the first time in 22 years.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Erik ten Hag's side stormed into an aggregate lead after just 18 minutes through forwards Hakim Ziyech and David Neres.
The electric Dusan Tadic, provider of his side's first two goals, then added a brilliant third as he whipped an effort into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Chasing a fourth consecutive Champions League triumph, Real looked to have gained a lifeline when Marco Asensio scored with 20 minutes remaining.
But Ajax's Danish midfielder Lasse Schone scored a spectacular free-kick just two minutes later to leave Santiago Solari's side requiring three goals to progress.
6
Ajax 2-3 Spurs (Agg 3-3): Lucas pulls off EPIC COMEBACK to reach UCL final
On 8 May, Lucas Moura scored a dramatic 96th-minute winner to cap an astonishing Tottenham fightback against Ajax and set up an all-English Champions League final against Liverpool.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Spurs made the worst possible start in Amsterdam when a towering fifth-minute header by 19-year-old Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt doubled the advantage for Erik ten Hag's exciting young side.
Hakim Ziyech doubled Ajax's lead on the night with a sweeping finish after an assist by former Southampton winger Dusan Tadic.
Moura reduced the deficit with a composed finish before the Brazilian's shot on the turn, after keeper Andre Onana had denied substitute Fernando Llorente, levelled the scores on the night and left Spurs requiring one goal to reach the final in Madrid on 1 June.
In a frantic finish, Vertonghen headed against the bar from four yards before Moura completed his hat-trick with a left-foot shot from 16 yards deep into stoppage time as Spurs won on away goals to reach their first Champions League final.
5
Southampton 0-9 Leicester: Vardy & co. smash Saints to set BIGGEST PL away win
Leicester City equalled the 24-year-old record for the biggest ever Premier League victory as 10-man Southampton were dismantled at a rainswept St Mary's.
Both Vardy and Ayoze Perez scored hat-tricks, with the visitors aided by Ryan Bertrand's red card for a reckless challenge on Perez in the build-up to Ben Chilwell's opener.
The manner in which the Foxes ruthlessly cut through the hosts will nevertheless serve as a warning to others, with their three goals inside the opening 19 minutes the fastest they have amassed that scoreline in a Premier League match since 1998.
Vardy's first showed nimbleness and awareness as he cut inside Saints defender Maya Yoshida to drill a close-range effort into the bottom corner, while his second showcased smart movement as he headed past Angus Gunn from close range. His trademark blistering pace then took him clear of the Southampton defence to win and convert a late penalty.
His exploits were also complemented by Perez, who opened his account for the season after finding the bottom-right corner following a neat one-two with Tielemans.
The Spaniard then superbly swept home Chilwell's pinpoint cross for his second before finding the bottom corner with a left-footed shot to complete his treble.
4
Tottenham 2-7 Bayern: 4-goal hero Gnabry totally smashes last season's finalists in London
Tottenham Hotspur's troubles continued as they were humiliated in the most devastating fashion by Bayern Munich in the Champions League on one of the most embarrassing nights in their recent history as Serge Gnabry scored four goals.
Bayern posed a huge threat throughout and were quickly on terms through Joshua Kimmich's superb 20-yard finish - but Spurs failed to heed the warning signs and ended up reduced to a rabble as they sunk without a fight in the second half.
Strange as it may seem looking at the scoreline, this was an enthralling encounter that really turned on the stroke of half-time when, with matters in the balance, Robert Lewandowski produced a brilliant turn and right-foot finish past Hugo Lloris from 20 yards.
Bayern gathered momentum and put themselves out of sight when former Arsenal youngster Gnabry scored twice in as many minutes shortly after the interval, taking full advantage of more poor defending to beat Lloris emphatically.
Harry Kane gave Spurs brief hope with a penalty after Kingsley Coman fouled Danny Rose but Bayern were in no mood to open the door, instead running riot as Gnabry added two more, with another smooth finish from Lewandowski sandwiched in between.
It is the first time in Tottenham's 137-year history that they have ever conceded seven goals at home in any competition.
3
PSG 1-3 Man Utd (agg 3-3): Lukaku double & Rashford's last-min pen finish an incredible comeback
Marcus Rashford scored a nerveless injury-time penalty as Manchester United staged an incredible comeback to beat Paris St-Germain on away goals and reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's visitors got the perfect start thanks to Romelu Lukaku's opportunist strike after two minutes, the Belgium striker latching on to Thilo Kehrer's blind backpass and finding the net.
PSG equalised on the night to move 3-1 ahead on aggregate when Kylian Mbappe fed a pass to the unmarked Juan Bernat, who slotted home at the back post.
Unable to capitalise, PSG were punished when veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon spilled Rashford's long-range shot and Lukaku converted United's second.
The game appeared to be petering out to its conclusion before Dalot's speculative long-range strike hit the arm of the unfortunate Kimpembe, and after a long delay while the referee consulted his pitch-side monitor, Rashford's ice-cool penalty sealed a remarkable win.
2
Juventus 3-0 Atletico (3-2 agg): Ronaldo nets HAT-TRICK to seal UNREAL comeback
On 12 March, Cristiano Ronaldo once again underlined his worth in Europe's elite competition as his hat-trick overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Atletico Madrid to send Juventus into the Champions League last eight.
Having brought the tie level with two typical headers, Ronaldo capped off another remarkable performance and entered Juventus folklore when he smashed in the tie-winner from the spot four minutes from time, after Federico Bernardeschi had been fouled in the area.
It was his 124th goal in the Champions League and eighth hat-trick in the competition. The home fans erupted on the final whistle and the players rushed to Ronaldo.
"This was why Juventus brought me here. To help do things that they have never done before," the 34-year-old said after that match
1
Liverpool 4-0 Barca (4-3 agg): HISTORIC! Reds reach UCL final with an astonishing comeback
On 7 May, Liverpool were into their second successive Champions League final after overcoming Barcelona with a stunning second-leg fightback on an epic night at Anfield.
Divock Origi started the unlikely revival, tapping home from close range after seven minutes, but it was only when substitute Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice in the space of 122 seconds after the break that the tie truly swung in Liverpool's favour.
Barcelona were rattled, and even Lionel Messi was unable to steady the ship before Origi struck again with the goal that would decide the tie on aggregate, after Trent Alexander-Arnold caught the visitors' defence napping from a corner.
The final whistle brought delirious celebrations on the pitch and in the stands, where the Reds supporters had played their part in an unforgettable match.
And Liverpool consequently avoided their defeat in last year and won the Champions League title by beating Tottenham in the final
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