Sunday 13 May 2012 is a day etched in the history of Manchester City Football Club. It was the day the club won the Premier League Championship for the first time and nothing could have been more dramatic.
They went into the game top of the table, level on points with rivals Manchester United, who have won the league 19 times in their history. United were reigning champions and were managed by Sir Alex Ferguson. Alex Ferguson won 12 Premier League titles during his time at the club.
Queens Park Rangers needed a draw to stay in the Premier League. They were in 17th place, just above the relegation zone, but the odds were against them for a result as City are aiming for their 28th league title of the season.
Argentina’s right-back Pablo Zabaleta broke the deadlock in the 39th minute by sending a shot from the right wing into the hands of Paddy Kenny. Despite Kenny’s desperate efforts to win the ball back, it crossed the line and City were deservedly ahead.
Zabaleta’s goal was his first of the season, but more importantly it put City back in the top half of the table. Wayne Rooney gave Manchester United a 20th-minute lead against Sunderland, meaning they were top of the title race. However, QPR were set to be relegated after Bolton Wanderers – who started bottom 18 – won 2-1 against Stoke City.
City went into half-time well ahead of the break, but QPR equalized three minutes after the restart through a Djibril Cisse goal after Jolyon Lescott fired the ball back towards an own goal. City currently occupy second place in the table.
Former City player Joey Barton was sent off for QPR, adding another twist to the game. City had two chances to score in very quick succession but Paddy Kenny saved efforts from Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero.
QPR then surprised City fans by taking a shocking lead in the 66th minute of the first half. Jamie Mackie scored with a downward header after Armand Traore crossed from the left flank. City were now three points behind Manchester United and QPR were safe from relegation.
Edin Dzeko and Mario Ballotelli were both in trouble to get City a much-needed equalizer before Dzeko scored with a close-range header from David Silva’s corner in the 92nd minute. City were now on the verge of winning the league and QPR were safe from the drop.
Manchester United players anxiously waited on the Stadium of Light touchline for the final whistle at the Etihad. Their fans celebrated on the road, confident they had won another league title.
Then, in the 94th minute, one of the most famous moments in Manchester City’s long history occurred. Vincent Kompany took the ball forward in his own half and ran 40 yards without interference from the opposition.
The Belgian defender played a short pass to Sergio Aguero, who quickly gave the ball to Mario Balotelli and ran to the right of the penalty area.
Ballotelli held onto the ball until Aguero passed him and played the ball back to his attacking partner, who dodged a challenge from a QPR defender and struck the ball low into the back of the net.
Bedlam followed with many City fans rushing onto the pitch. When the final whistle sounded, the game finally resumed before the full-scale invasion of the stadium began. Meanwhile, in Sunderland, news spread to shocked Manchester United fans that their neighbors had overturned the game and achieved the desired result.
The victory confirmed Manchester City’s first league title in 44 years since 1968 and only the third in the club’s history. They have since won seven Premier League titles, four of them in the last four years.
QPR remained safe as Bolton drew 2-2 with Stoke City. They were relegated from the Premier League the following season, but immediately returned to the top tier in the 2013/14 season. The 2014/15 season resulted in another relegation for the London club and they are yet to return to the Premier League.
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