BVB conceded three goals against Werder Bremen in the final minutes of the game? Yes. It’s good. Manchester United turn the Champions League final against Bayern Munich? Strong and in the history books. But what is happening in Charlton over the weekend is absolutely amazing.
Ben Garner hasn’t been on his bench for a long time. The Charlton Athletic manager, who once sat in on Jose Mourinho, complained once too many times to referee Josh Smith, who sent him off in the 52nd minute.
The guests from Ipswich, after all promotion favorites in League One, the third English division, led 2-0 and the 16,625 fans in the Addicks stadium had long since checked off the game. Goals from Jes Rak-Sakyi and Albie Morgan changed that. Suddenly it was 2-2. At least take a point. That’s what it looked like for Charlton now. Even if referee Smith added another six minutes, nothing would happen here.
But then Ipswich struck. First Freddie Ladapo, wonderfully set free by Sam Morsy, hit from 18 meters and after all sorts of cheering and joy and wasting time, Morsy scored another goal. 4:2 for the guests and not a minute of stoppage time to play. The thing was, as ZDF man Jochen Breyer once told the then BVB coach Jürgen Klopp, through. Nothing would happen here.
But then something happened. With just ten seconds left on the clock, a free-kick sailed from the half-court into the Ipswich penalty area, growing longer and longer and somehow finding its way to defender Terrell Thomas. He pushed the ball over the line. At least 3:4. Not that bad. Ipswich runs again. But Morsy is stopped with an incredible sliding tackle in the Charlton penalty area. There are 97 minutes and 42 seconds played. The end! It has to be. Of course not. Charlton threw everything forward. In the third minute of added time of actual injury time, 24-year-old George Dobson took to the air. Until then, he had had a career that had taken him further and further down.
Coming from the Arsenal youth team and later playing in reserve at West Ham, the defensive midfielder signed at Charlton in the summer of 2021, cementing his reputation as a solid player with no ambitions to score. He had scored five goals up to that point and now he rose up and caught the ball with his head. Christian Walton in goal at Ipswich had no chance. The ball fell over him into the goal. 4:4! Four goals in stoppage time.
“Of course we’re all frustrated, angry and disappointed with the way we conceded the goals,” Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna later shrugged on BBC Radio Suffolk: “We showed great character after the 2-2 win .After 96 minutes we were in a position where we should have won the game.”
Ben Garner, on the other hand, who watched the game on the TV in his dressing room after his dismissal, was a very lucky man. “I’m so proud of the players,” he said. “Coming back from two goals down is amazing in itself. But to do it twice in the same game and even once in stoppage time shows the character and team spirit that’s growing here.” Speaking on the club’s website, he added: “I love you all!”
(This article was first published on Tuesday, November 01, 2022.)
