Manchester City Brings EPL Title to Sheikh Mansour

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Manchester City players celebrate winning the English Premier League title after beating the Queens Park Rangers 3-2.

The Sheikh of Abu Dhabi has some new long-awaited hardware, as his Manchester City Football Club brought home the 2012 English Premier League soccer title in thrilling fashion. Manchester City sensationally recovered from a 2-1 deficit against Queens Park Rangers in the final minutes of their final Premiership match of the season. And the miracle was that Sergio Aguero’s late winner was part of a two goal flurry in stoppage time alone.

City struggled to break the visitors down for much of the first half before Pablo Zabaleta gave them a seemingly secure lead going into half-time. However it was a Muslim footballer, Djibril Cisse, who subsequently knocked home the equalizer for the Rangers. And then, to add insult to injury, QPR secured an improbable go-ahead goal at the 66 minute mark. Manchester City got a Muslim goal of their own from Edin Dzeko, who headed home an injury-time corner, before Aguero’s goal for the ages in the 94th-minute.

There was scoreboard watching going on for both clubs in this match, as fellow title-contender Manchester United was playing their final match at the same exact time. And, Bolton, who was fighting with QPR to avoid relegation from the Premiership, was playing their match with Stoke concurrently.

That elation was brief. Still basking in the warmth of drawing level, QPR was clearing from defense when, off the ball, Barton was spotted by the assistant referee in a tussle with Tevez, having elbowed his opponent. Replays suggested that the Argentine had made the first contact, but the midfielder’s reaction was shocking. Furious as he was shown the red card, the out-of-control Barton viciously kicked Aguero on his way out and tried to headbutt Vincent Kompany before he could finally be removed from the pitch in a shocking moment.

Finally, in stoppage time, Dzeko rose from City’s umpteenth corner to provide hope at the last moment with an unstoppable header. Suddenly inspired, the City blasted forward with desperation and sealed one of the most historic comebacks right at the death. Mario Balotelli, prone, slipped the ball to Aguero just inside the area, and the Argentine slid into space before unerringly finishing in an astonishing end to an incredible match.

After having defeated Manchester United head-to-head two weeks ago, losing the Premiership title by way of a loss to lowly QPR would have been tragic. But instead, Manchester City achieved their first EPL crown in 44 years. And even dance partner QPR were victorious in the end, remaining in the EPL after Bolton’s draw with Stoke.

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