12 October 2003 - Künzer's Golden Goal

On 12 October 2003, Germany won their first Women's World Cup, beating Sweden 2-1 in the final with a golden goal from substitute Nia Künzer.

The final continued a growing rivalry between the two teams. Sweden won their first meeting in a major tournament, beating the Germans in the 1991 FIFA World Cup third-place match, then again in the group stage in 1995. But since then, it had been all Germany, who defeated Sweden twice in the final of the UEFA Women's European Championship (1995 and 2001), took them out in the Euro semifinals in 1997 and beat them in the first round in 2001. They also topped them in the group stage of the 2000 Summer Olympics.

In the 2003 World Cup Final, played before a crowd of 26,137 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, Sweden played a strong defensive game, shutting down a high-powered German attack that saw them breeze through the group stage with a goal differential of +11. Although the German side included forward Birgit Prinz, the tournament's leading scorer with seven goals, she was repeatedly denied by Swedish goalkeeper Caroline Jönsson.

Sweden took a surprising lead with a 41st-minute strike from forward Hanna Ljungberg, but the lead didn't last long as German striker Maren Meinert equalized in the 46th minute. That was the last score throughout the first 90 minutes, sending the match into extra time. There, defender-midfielder Künzer (pictured), who had come on in the 88th minute, scored a golden goal, beating Jönsson with a powerful headed ball that just cleared the keeper's outstretched hand.

Germany went on to repeat as champions in 2007. Since the 2003 final, they have beaten Sweden twice more in a major tournament, in the third-place match for the 2004 Olympics and in the quarterfinals of the 2008 Olympics.

See highlights of the 2003 final here on YouTube.

21 April 2007 - Arsenal Win The Champions League

On 21 April 2007, Arsenal Ladies defeated hosts Umeå IK 0-1 in the first leg of the UEFA Women's Cup Final. Arsenal full-back Alex Scott (pictured on the left) provided the late match-winner with a 25-yard rocket in stoppage time.

It was the fourth final in six years for Umeå, who had won it twice and were heavy favorites over Arsenal. The Swedes had breezed through the tournament, winning every match they had played, from the group stage to the semifinals. Arsenal, making their first Final appearance, had similarly gone undefeated, but had conceded one draw - a 2-2 scoreline against Danish side Brøndby IF in the first leg of the semifinals.

The Swedes created loads of chances, particularly from their forward pairing of Hanna Ljungberg and Marta, but they were constantly denied by goalkeeper Emma Byrne and the rest of the Arsenal defense. The match appeared to be headed for a draw when, in the second minute of stoppage time, Scott rushed forward and rifled a shot just under the bar. The match ended one minute later.

The teams met in London for the second leg on 29 April, but battled to a scoreless draw that gave Arsenal the title. It was part of an historic quadruple for the club, who also won that season's league title, the FA Women's Cup, and the FA Women's Premier League Cup.

UEFA has since rebranded the Women's Cup as the UEFA Women's Champions League.