Heartbreaking Draw Almost Certainly Ends Liverpool's Title Challenge

There is no God. Money does buy happiness. Might overcomes beauty every time. These are the harsh realities soccer fans must begrudgingly accept after Crystal Palace's shocking 88th minute equalizer gave Liverpool a draw—a result that all but mathematically kills their miraculous championship dream.

This wasn't part of the script. An away draw to Crystal Palace itself isn't such a surprising result, what with the defensive solidity of all Tony Pulis sides. But Liverpool got the all important early goal in the 18th minute to open up the game a bit so that Liverpool could hunt for more.

After their loss last weekend to Chelsea, Liverpool looked doomed to finish the season level on points with moneyed juggernauts Manchester City. As it stood, City would have won the title with a better goal difference. Liverpool's only hope was for their championship rival to drop points somewhere—which never looked likely—or to somehow make up the goal difference by destroying their next two opponents.

Which is ultimately what lead to their demise today. After Joe Allen's opening goal, strikers Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suárez kicked in another two to give Liverpool a 3-0 advantage with a half hour left to play. With every Liverpool player pushing forward to add to their tally, Crystal Palace had acres of space to work with on the counter. Damien Delaney's deflected consolation strike looked to end Liverpool's chance to make up the goal difference, but the win that would keep the pace at the top of the league didn't look in doubt.

Until two minutes later, that is, when Dwight Gale got Palace's second. At that moment, you felt Liverpool were destined to capitulate right when they could least afford it. Sure enough, the equalizer you see above came right before stoppage time.

To their credit, Liverpool kept fighting for the winner. Suárez in particular could be seen laughing to himself in the match's final moments, obviously in shocked disbelief that they would piss it all away like that. It all hit him at the end, though.

[NBC Sports]