Football...Soccer...whatever you call it

This year has been a total overload of football (or soccer, if you prefer). It started with the World Cup, and watching the matches live at the stadium was something I had always dreamed about. Getting to watch a group-stage match (Swe vs Jpn), then the Round of 16 (Nor vs Civ) as my son wanted to see Haaland, followed by the semifinals between France and Spain was an exhilarating experince at the Dallas Stadium. And finally, being able to watch the crowning jewel—the final between Argentina and Spain at Metlife was quite the finish to this extraordinary few weeks! (How we got to the finals and managed to see the match is a story for another day and another blog of its own. All I can say is - I have started to like Baltimore!)

The only thing I would have liked to add to this list would have been to see England (and Bellingham). That would have been the cherry on the top. The other sore point was that Italy yet again managed not to qualify for the World Cup—the third one in a row. Hoping to see them someday.

Having watched all that, the best match for me was not any of those, but a friendly at Soldier Field—Liverpool vs the mighty Whites, LEEDS UNITED. This was absolutely amazing. It’s not every day that I get to see Leeds play, living so far away from the Premier League. The match was also a cracker, with Leeds conceding two in the first half but scoring four in 25 second half minutes to end with a convincing win and send many of the Liverpool fans home early.

Belting out Marching On Together with the Leeds Army is something I will cherish forever! With all of us decked out in the white of Leeds, the scarves, my kids with painted faces, and the pre-game meet up with Beckford and others made this football year very close to perfect!

Marching on Together!

Down Memory Lane.

Sitting on the train, listening to songs as it pulls out of Bangalore Cantonment, somehow takes me back to what it felt like when we left Bangalore—the place we called home—for good. It's been years, yet so much of the city remains in our hearts, woven into memories and the people who made them special.

That was before the city became what it is today—when the traffic was lighter, there was no Metro, Marathahalli was the only multiplex, and Coffee House stood on MG Road. A different Bangalore, but one that still lives on in our memories.

Whether it was meeting at MG Road for Symphony and Ullas, sharing a cup of tea with the boys in BTM, or taking late-night drives to Bandipur, those moments created memories that still bring a smile to our faces and make the place feel special even today.

Bangalore! - You just love it or hate it!

Safe!

Arsenalls dramatic win over West Ham has implications at both ends of the table. This keeps Arsenal in pole position for the title, and if they win their last two matches, their long wait is over. At the same time, this win keeps West Ham in the relegation zone just a point below Spurs, who are yet to play - against Leeds.

This win cements Leeds' stay in the Premier League and we can look forward to have a good end to the season. 

Farke should continue, and next season is another new one filled with hope and anticipation !

MoT

40 and safe?

With the battling last minute draw against Bournemouth, Leeds have reached the crucial 40 point mark and closer to safety! With just a few games remaining, one more win or draws in all would just might be enough for another season in the premier league. That win against Manchester United looks to be vital one!

MOT.

Since 1981

Leeds' fantastic 2-1 win at Old Trafford was the first since 1981 and also gives 3 precious points which open up a 6 point gap to the relegation zone. This could be crucial come the end of the league season. 

The first half was a breath of fresh air and Leeds should have put the game to bed with the chances they had. And when the goal went in for Man Utd in the second half, it looked like it was going to be a familar story of conceding late equalizers or even a losing goal, but thankfully we held on for a very famous win!

MOT!

Aaargh!

Yet again!. For the third time, Italy are going to miss playing in world cup three time in a row!. With the penalty shootout loss to Bosnia & Herzegovina in the play offs, the 4 time world champions and more recently the 2020 Euro champions crash out!. This is so so disappointing!

Super Bowl LX

This year's Super bowl was an east meets west battle with the Seattle Seahawks deafeating the New England Patriots comfortably 29-13 to deny a record 7th win for the Pats. It was a defensive masterclass and this comment by the BBC when a pitch invader ran in sums it up - "The pitch invader has gained more yards than the Patriots!"