Underdogs like Hickory High, Zambia pulled off the unthinkable on Sunday, overrunning the Ivory Coast for an unbelievable penalty shootout victory and a right to hold the African Cup of Nations to the sky.

Zambia was charged and Ivory Coast's Prem duo of Gervinho and Didier Drogba couldn't find the netting against the stout side.

What an excellent day of football we all had yesterday, starting with the controversial Manchester United, Liverpool match at Old Trafford , and a result that went our way with Liverpool losing 2-1.

I am not so sure about all the Suarez, Evra hype though as it is obvious that there is bad blood between the two of them, but to the credit of Evra he was willing to shake Suarez's hand before the match, but Suarez refused.

Image via ParentDish.co.uk.

Little Harper Beckham did the unthinkable at JFK airport this afternoon on her mum (who handled the well-timed paparazzi invasion like the seasoned pro that she is).

Out of all the cute kids in this familial clique, she's the one to watch, Kickettes.

Sometimes we have to sit back and think: we're changing the world with our intellectually challenging, life changing reportage on key events happening around the globe.

Greg Schiano has been taking on challenges his whole life, and where his recent task of rebuilding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL is daunting, the former Rutgers University coach is up for the task.
Stephen F. Holder of the Tampa Bay Times writes of the man who continues to rise to the occasion.

The transformation from Bruce Banner to the Incredible Hulk still isn't an easy process to watchHello? Is this thing still on? Oh good, you're still here.
Apologies for the delay in regular programming but, fret not, The Boys From White Hart Lane is back from it's Christmas hiatus and is ready to rock your socks off all over again in this new year.

United are a top priced 1.75 with Paddy Power to bounce back from their humiliating defeat at the hands of Blackburn and beat Newcastle at St James' tonight, and everything suggest they will do just that.

New Year's Eve turned into a 70th birthday nightmare for Sir Alex when Steve Kean's men pulled off the unthinkable, but if the past is anything to go by he will have read the riot act to the players and they will respond with a victory.

Neymar showed why Europe's best all want to sign him as he inspired Santos to a 3-1 victory over Japan's Kashiwa Reysol in a Club World Cup semi-final in Toyota.

The Libertadores Cup holders are expected to face European champions Barcelona in this weekend's final, barring the unthinkable in Barca's semi-final against Qatar's Al Sadd on Thursday.

- Maxi Rodriguez

It happened again on Saturday.

It was about half past nine, and I was wrapped in an imitation Snuggie that gives you a bit of insight into how I spend my weekends. An exhausting marathon of football continued with kickoff between West Brom and Chelsea, and I reached for the remote, wondering whether I should pull the sheets over my eyes and call the whole thing off.

Arsene Wenger is expected to make some big-name signings at long last with days remaining before the transfer window closes.

It emerged that Kaka, Gary Cahill, Leighton Baines, Yann M'Vila & Lille forward Eden Hazard are all possible targets*.

But here lies the problems, Arsenal fans, including myself are fed up with that word.

So the unthinkable now seems inevitable, and Chelsea will probably get their man.

It pains me to say this, as I really do believe that Luka Modric is irreplaceable. Having watched the little maestro dictate the play of games at the Lane on many occasions, it's understandable why Spurs don't want to sell the Croatian international and it he will certainly be a great asset to an ageing Chelsea squad.

Anyone familiar with world football knows that River Plate, in Buenos Aires, is one of the biggest, most storied clubs in Argentine club football. This past Sunday, the unthinkable happened, River was relegated to the second division, Primera B Nacional, after a 1-1 draw against Belgrano de Córdoba in relegation playoffs (Belgrano beat River 2-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of the playoff tie).

Sunday afternoon was bright and sunny in Buenos Aires, but there's a metaphorical black cloud hanging over the Estadio Monumental as, against what everyone expected back at the start of the Apertura, the unthinkable has actually come to pass: River ... Continue reading →

By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 23, 2011) US Soccer Players – After qualifying for the 1990 World Cup finals, the next big moment for United States soccer came the following year. The National Team – once considered a CONCACAF doormat – did what at the time was considered the unthinkable by knocking out Mexico in the semifinals and beating Honduras in the championship game to win the 1991 Gold Cup.

Norwich City achieved the unthinkable as they completed back to back promotions to make a return to the promise land of the Premier League after winning 1-0 to Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
After sitting at the foot of League 1 just 20 months ago after an opening day 7-1 drubbing defeat to local rivals Colchester, the appointment of Paul Lambert, who was the opposition's manager that day, has proved to be the shrewdest piece of business in the club's history.

Liverpool earned another valuable three points at Anfield this afternoon where they overcame a determined Newcastle United side by three goals to nil.
An early deflected goal by Maxi on ten minutes got the Reds off to a dream start against a team that had beaten us 3-1 before Christmas.
Newcastle are no mugs and they went at Liverpool, winning alot of corners and free kicks, however Joey Barton's deliveries were easily dealt with time and again by a resolute Liverpool defence.

Real Salt Lake did the unthinkable and pulled out a 2-2 result from Monterrey.
It wasn't the result itself that was unthinkable but rather the way it went down. Javier Morales pulled a goal out of thin air, as he skirted past Jose Maria Basanta and placed the ball past Jonathan Orozco in the 89th minute.

Chivas USA did the unthinkable and let Benny Feilhaber slide on by.
Excuse me for a second while I pound my head into the wall.
I just don't understand how this club can continue to get things wrong when it comes to players. I'm not talking about the rank-and-file guys like Jimmy Conrad and Heath Pearce.

With only six minutes left to play, the situation for Cesena was dire. Losing 2-0 away from home and down a man, the match seemed virtually over. But just when all seemed lost, the unthinkable happened. Two goals in the span of four minutes in stoppage time with the equalizer occurring on the very last kick of the game and the Seahorses secured a miraculous, but precious point.

There's this match at Old Trafford tomorrow evening, maybe you've read about it around the web. You know, it may define our season.

Who do you like?

We've tackled tactics throughout the season. This time is no different. However, there's just one thing: I'm not sure that this side of the game has ever been more critical to our success than it will be at the Theatre of Dreams.

A chance to exorcise demons from each of the last three seasons, perhaps against those very clubs which denied us then and still haunt us to this day. To reach a second Champions League final, one fittingly held in our own backyard. The opportunity to make history, to become the first club from London to lift this hallowed trophy, in the very city in which we reside.

After Liverpool's morale-boosting win v Sunderland on Sunday, new Liverpool owner John W Henry has commented on the saga over giving Kenny Dalglish a permanent contract at the club.
"What's going on in that regard is private," Henry insisted after watching as goals by Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez sealed the win.

Should the unthinkable happen and United go on to win the PL, what will we say? I will tell you, we will say that the best team in England are not the Champions, because without any question this Arsenal team are the best in the country. 4 points behind but 5 years ahead in terms of footballing ability.

Despite dominating the whole 90 minutes, it took an injury-time Petr Cech penalty save from Clint Dempsey for Chelsea to escape from Craven Cottage with a 0-0 draw tonight.

The draw leaves Chelsea in fifth place, two points behind Tottenham and out of the Champions League positions, while Fulham are now four points clear of the relegation zone in 12th place.

Despite dominating the whole 90 minutes, it took an injury-time Petr Cech penalty save from Clint Dempsey for Chelsea to escape from Craven Cottage with a 0-0 draw tonight.

The draw leaves Chelsea in fifth place, two points behind Tottenham and out of the Champions League positions, while Fulham are now four points clear of the relegation zone in 12th place.

A few years ago, a friend invited me to see a documentary on the New York Cosmos. I must admit. I found the movie, Once In A Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos to be quite entertaining. It was a cinderella story of an American soccer club that appeared out of nowhere, did the unthinkable by signing the best player in the world and then crashed out of existence in a larger-than-life fashion.

You'll forgive me if I ramble a little this week, or even if I fail to tickle your interests, but I'll try. I've been in England all week, and have only just come back. I missed the Valencia versus Malaga game on Saturday night (4-3) which sounded like a cracker, but I did manage to take in the Villarreal versus Real Sociedad game on Sunday evening (2-1), which was also very entertaining fare.

I'm fascinated by the history of football in the 1950s. When one club players were less than handsomely paid for entertaining tens of thousands of fans every week. It was in this period that Hibs had plans afoot to increase the capacity of Easter Road to 98,000. Unthinkable now.
Nat Lofthouse, who died yesterday, was an icon of that time.