Last-minute drama is what makes sport so great.
With so much of it missing from our lives with most sports on closedown due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's easy to forget the kind of emotions only a contest between two adversaries can stir.
With that in mind, we have compiled a list of the 10 greatest finishes to sports events.
Take a look and let us know if we missed out on anything by getting in touch on Twitter.
Enjoy!
England v New Zealand, 2019 Cricket World Cup Final, July 14, 2019
A game of cricket you just couldn’t take your eyes off for a second. The finish to England’s innings was drama personified, with Ben Stokes launching the ball into the stands with three sixes to level the match and send the final against New Zealand into a ‘Super Over’. That failed to separate the two teams either, as the World Cup final’s first extra time finished all square too, meaning a sudden death. In the end it was England who would triumph, with Jos Buttler taking Jason Roy's catch and brilliantly running out Martin Guptill.
Manchester City v QPR, Premier League, May 13, 2012
This was arguably the undisputed No 1 finish to a tournament before the England cricket team’s heroics at Lord’s. Manchester City led rivals Manchester United in the title race on goal difference going into the last day of the season and faced relegation-threatened QPR. United won 1-0 against Sunderland and City trailed 2-1 with time running out and the Premier League title was going to Old Trafford again. Football, though, proved it can be a cruel mistress. Edin Dzeko equalised in the 92nd minute to give City hope. With seconds left of the 2011/12 season, Sergio Aguero scored, ending City’s 44-year wait for a league title.
USA v Europe, Ryder Cup 2012, Medinah
Arguably the most memorable four days of team golf in a sport packed with individual brilliance. The Americans led Europe 5-3 at the end of Day 1 and were 10-4 up and cruising by Saturday afternoon. Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald made it 10-5 but it was Ian Poulter's roaring five birdies in a row to turn his match with Rory McIlroy against Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson that proved a real rallying cry.
Europe won the singles 8.5-3.5 to take the match 14.5-13.5 to complete the ‘Miracle at Medinah’.
Diego Corrales v Jose Luis Castillo, May 7, 2005
A humdinger of a fight, and possibly the greatest 10th round of any boxing match ever witnessed. Castillo knocked Corrales down twice, with the latter spitting his gum shield out both times to buy himself some extra seconds to recover, the second instance earning Corrales a one-point deduction. When the fight was restarted for a second time it was Corrales who landed what was a perfect shot and followed it up with a barrage, forcing the ref to stop the fight.
Australia v England, Rugby Union World Cup final, November 22, 2003
Unlike their football counterparts, England’s rugby players travelled overseas for a global finals with genuine designs on leaving it as world champions. While Clive Woodward’s side were not everyone’s cup of tea – least of all their hosts, and final opponents, Australia – they possessed in the likes of Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, Will Greenwood and Jason Robinson players of the highest quality. Australia drew first blood through a Loqui Tuqiri try after six minutes but Robinson responded with his own in the 38th minute. The rest of the match was a scrum contest and a kicking competition between Elton Flatley and Wilkinson. The England fly-half's drop goal in the last minute of extra-time on his wrong foot was the ultimate test under pressure.
Liverpool v Arsenal, First Division, May 26, 1989
Arsenal travelled to Anfield on the final day of the season needing to beat Liverpool by a two-goal margin to clinch the league. The match had been put back by a month following the Hillsborough disaster, in which 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives. That only added to the sense that the title was destined to stay in Liverpool hands. Alan Smith’s goal had Liverpool hearts in their mouths but as the game moved into stoppage time what transpired arguably changed English football for all time. Michael Thomas galloped up from midfield to score a last-gasp goal to secure a first title for the Gunners in 18 years. The match spawned a best-selling book by Nick Hornby as well as a documentary.
Manchester United v Bayern Munich, Champions League final, May 26, 1999
Manchester United completed the most remarkable season in their storied history by adding the Champions League to their Premier League and FA Cup titles in 1999. Alex Ferguson’s side, minus the incomparable talents of the suspended Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, were battered from the first minute until almost the last by a Bayern team chasing their own ‘treble’. The German’s led through Mario Basler’s free kick and were seconds away from clinching a fourth European Cup when Ferguson threw on Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the death. Both scored in injury time as United pulled off a 2-1 win at Camp Nou.
New England Patriots v Atlanta Falcons, Super Bowl LI, February 5, 2017
Neutrals don't like the Patriots or Tom Brady but there's no doubting how good their comeback was in 2017 when the Pats needed overtime to win Super Bowl LI. The Falcons took a 21-3 lead into the second half and had improved that lead to 28-9 by the end of the third quarter as the Falcons looked all set to win an elusive first Super Bowl. Brady though had other ideas and New England scored 25 unanswered points to take the game to overtime, where they predictably won it. Julian Edelman's incredible catch with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter for a first down the moment of the match.
2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, November 2, 2008
Before Lewis Hamilton became the most dominant force in Formula One he was forced to sweat it out to clinch drivers’ titles. The Briton lost the F1 world title to Kimi Raikkonen by one point in his debut season in 2007 but in his second season he just needed to finish the final race in Brazil fifth or better to win the title. However, the McLaren driver had a poor race and was struggling down the grid he changed onto wet tyres under the rain late on. Felipe Massa crossed the finish line first and at that point was world champion, Ferrari jumped for joy as their man won but, on the penultimate corner, Hamilton past Toyota's Timo Glock to finish fifth and take the title.
Liverpool v Blackburn Rovers, Premier League, May 14, 1995
Blackburn Rovers were chasing a first English title since 1914 as they travelled to Liverpool on the final day of the season. Breathing down their necks were a resurgent Manchester United, who were at home to West Ham United. United needed to beat the Hammers and hope their old enemies Liverpool did them a favour at Anfield. Liverpool held up their end of the bargain, winning 2-1 courtesy of a Jamie Redknapp winner. United, on the other hand, came up against a one-man wall in West Ham keeper Ludek Miklosko, who played the game of his life to keep United at bay to hand Blackburn the title.
