The Weekend in Sports…So Far!

It’s Sunday evening, and there have been a couple sports events worth following this Memorial weekend. Whether it’s been soccer, cricket, or auto racing, sports fans all over the world witnessed incredible finishes in the last 48 hours. Here are 5 memorable moments from this weekend…

SATURDAY

Championship Play-Off Final

The often-called “richest game in football” was certainly rich in drama, as Queens Park Rangers were on the back foot most of the game, had a player sent off, but pulled out a 1-0 win over Derby thanks to Bobby Zamora’s 90th-minute goal. QPR were relegated from the Premier League in 2013, so coming back after one season in the Championship is an accomplishment for Harry Redknapp and his crew.

After being relegated last year, Queens Park Rangers have returned to the top flight of English football. Photo Credit: The FA
After being relegated last year, Queens Park Rangers have returned to the top flight of English football. Photo Credit: The FA

UEFA Champions League Final

Atlético Madrid were two minutes away from their first ever European Cup triumph, as their defense was keeping fierce rivals Real Madrid scoreless before Sergio Ramos tied the game with a header past Thibaut Courtois. Once extra time began, it was all Los Blancos. Gareth Bale, Marcelo, & Cristiano Ronaldo each found the net to send Real to a 4-1 victory, their 10th title in the competition.

SUNDAY

League One Play-Off Final

Rotherham United had gone down 2-0 to Leyton Orient at half-time, but two goals in five minutes from Alex Revell (this was the game-tying goal), followed by a scoreless extra time, brought the teams to penalties. (Watch the shoot-out highlights here). Two late saves from Adam Collin saw the Millers earn promotion for a second straight season, this time into the Championship.

Indian Premier League: Mumbai Indians vs. Rajasthan Royals

In T20 cricket, scoring 190 runs off 120 deliveries is tough enough. After Rajasthan made 189, due to the tiebreaker rule, Mumbai had 87 deliveries to make 190 if they wanted to qualify for the playoffs. MI managed 189, meaning they had one more opportunity to hit a boundary, and Aditya Tare dispatched the ball for six. Defending IPL champions Mumbai, who started the season 0-5, have completed a remarkable turnaround and qualified for the playoffs. Watch the incredible finish here.

After starting the IPL season 0-5, defending champions Mumbai Indians have qualified for the playoffs. Photo Credit: BCCI
After starting the IPL season 0-5, defending champions Mumbai Indians have qualified for the playoffs. Photo Credit: BCCI

Indianapolis 500

“The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” was absolutely a spectacle to watch, especially in the final laps. It came down to Ryan Hunter-Reay and Helio Castroneves, the latter looking for his record-tying 4th win. But after nearly turning into the grass, Hunter-Reay regained the lead for good on Lap 199 and held off Castroneves, becoming the 1st American winner since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006.

What’s on tap for Monday? The League Two Play-Off Final, NCAA Men’s Division I Lacrosse National Championship Game, the NHL Conference Finals, among other events. Will we see more dramatic finishes on Memorial Day?

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