Manchester City have won their first Champions League title, and they owe a huge debt of gratitude to Ederson Moraes for helping them to achieve it.
While it was Rodri who scored the historic winning goal in a 1-0 win for Pep Guadiola's side over Inter Milan, it was their goalkeeper who produced the magic moments as the clock ticked towards the final whistle in Istanbul.
As the ball found Romelu Lukaku's head in the 88th minute, it looked for all the world that the Belgian was going to force extra time.
However, instead of heading it into the net, Lukaku aimed downwards, leading the ball to bounce off Ederson's shin, before ricocheting off Ruben Dias and out for a corner.
What a miss. Was this Lukaku sitter Inter's last chance to force extra-time? #RTEsoccer #ChampionsLeagueFinal #MCIINT
📺 Watch Live: @RTE2 & @RTEplayer
📱 Live Updates: https://t.co/PpiVLmmrxI pic.twitter.com/LnHglOKFGk— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 10, 2023
Ederson and Jerzy Dudek comparisons
The moment drew comparisons online to Jerzy Dudek's iconic double-save at the same venue back in 2005, when Liverpool defeated AC Milan after being 3-0 down at half-time.
Dudek has gone down in Liverpool folklore for preventing Andriy Shevchenko in extra-time, and Ederson is likely to receive similar praise from Man City fans for years to come.
However, there were a few corners of Liverpool Twitter that laughed off the comparisons to their ex-keeper's sacred moment.
Dudek in 2005 > that Ederson save
— Guthrie Edson (@EdsonGuthrie) June 10, 2023
Has Fletcher really just compared a ball straight at Ederson to Dudek? 😂😂
— LAB*19 times 🏆 (@leebarrow) June 10, 2023
hahaha comparing ederson just standing still to dudek’s save is hilarious
— Jay Llewellyn (@JayLleweIIyn) June 10, 2023
Did they honestly just compare that Ederson save to the Dudek one
— GCIIMessi (PixelPrintDesign) (@GCIIMessi) June 10, 2023
I'm never watching BT again if they try the Dudek comparisons with Ederson later. Fuck off
— Cathal OL 🇮🇪🔴🇵🇸 (@IrishRED05) June 10, 2023
If I see one City fan compare that Ederson save to the Dudek I’m coming for you!
— Thiagos Father 🎙🇯🇲 (@ThiagosFather89) June 10, 2023
Was McManaman comparing Ederson save to Dudek?
— KB2x (@KB2X) June 10, 2023
The RTE commentators trying to compare a ball going straight at Ederson to Dudek in 05 is a bit cringe
— Emma (@emmanagle) June 10, 2023
Ederson has his plastic Dudek moment pic.twitter.com/0LPfOsNTW5
— ! (@Kashe1dz) June 10, 2023
Same stadium, in a champions league final, same end, almost identical minute of the game, Ederson channels the spirit of Dudek and the rest is history...#ıstanbul23 #ChampionsLeagueFinal pic.twitter.com/H3Y7AidkZ3
— ☕️ Ben ☕️ (@iamhalfcoffee) June 10, 2023
Ederson heroics in Champions League Final
While he may not have known much about that block, Ederson was at his best minutes later, as he pulled off a fine save from a Robin Gosens header just seconds before the final whistle.
"Manchester City have reached the top of the mountain."
It's full-time in Istanbul and that Rodri goal has won it for Pep Guardiola's side... #RTEsoccer #ChampionsLeagueFinal #MCIINT
📺 Watch Live: @RTE2 & @RTEplayer
📱 Live Updates: https://t.co/PpiVLmmrxI pic.twitter.com/CJ4iGN8uDy— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 10, 2023
Unfortunately for Lukaku, it was another big game that will be dominated by talk of how he fluffed his lines in front of goal.
The 30-year-old came on just before the half-hour mark, and went on to miss a number of chances as Inter Milan searched for an equaliser.
It will actually be a goal that he prevented that will be talked about most, as his leg got in the way of Federico Dimarco header, just a minute after Rodri's goal.
Despite the late onslaught, Man City managed to hold on to be crowned European champions for the very first time.
