As 2014 winds to a close, TSN.ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. TSN.ca's writing staff reflects on the best soccer moments from the past 12 months including Steven Gerrard's infamous slip, Germany drubbing Brazil, Landon Donovan's goodbye and more!

Steven Gerrard lets Liverpool slip
By Mike Beauvais

"This does not [expletive] slip now. Listen. Listen. This is gone. We go to Norwich. Exactly the same. We go again. Come on!" - Steven Gerrard following a 3-2 win over Manchester City on April 13.

The turnaround at Anfield under manager Brendan Rodgers was remarkable in 2013-14. In only his second year, Rodgers took a team that hadn’t qualified for the Champions League in four seasons. There was truly a sense that this would finally be Liverpool’s year after nearly a quarter-century of heartbreak.

The greatest test for Rodgers’ seeming team of destiny was a clash on April 27 against Chelsea at Anfield. It was here that the football gods, like they have so many times before, revealed their cruel sense of humour.

Into first-half stoppage, Mamadou Sakho attempted to find Gerrard, who mishandled the pass, allowing Chelsea striker Demba Ba to pounce upon the ball. With Ba having a clear path to goal, Gerrard slipped attempting to get back, allowing Ba to go in alone and fire Chelsea ahead 1-0.

Chelsea would add another, easing to a 2-0 victory, stopping Liverpool’s winning streak and effectively killing the Reds’ title push.

The following week, Liverpool would blow a 3-0 lead, settling for a 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace, a clear sign that their sense of a fated triumph had been replaced by a creeping dread.

On May 11 - with word of City’s 2-0 title-clinching win over West Ham filtering into Anfield just after the Reds’ 2-1 victory against Newcastle - Liverpool stood on the pitch as runners-up, condemned to second-best by a literal slip-up by the very man who warned against it.

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Tim Howard just won’t stop
By Shane McNeil

Tim Howard earned a name for himself as the Americans’ savior during the 2014 World Cup with an almost-unfathomable 16 saves in the team’s quarter-final loss to Belgium.

Howard broke a tournament record over his two hours on the pitch in the game that ultimately eliminated the Americans. The performance earned the 35-year-old Everton man the adulation of a nation and even a shout-out from President Barack Obama in a post-game phone call.

Missed the game? Here’s a handy recap.

But here’s the funny thing about that game … of all the saves Howard made, his best of the tournament was not among them. That status belongs to what should have been a back-of-the-net blunder against Portugal.

Howard gets a hand to Nani’s shot from distance, but in-doing so fails to put the ball out of play, or even out of harm. Instead, it goes off the woodwork and on to the boot of Eder. The follow-up shot is actually mishit, which forces Howard past the trajectory of the ball, but Howard reaches out a palm as he’s fading away and parries the ball over the bar. 

Even Howard recognizes afterwards that that ball should’ve gone in.

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Germany Drops a Touchdown on Brazil
By Mitchell Machtinger

Brazil was tabbed by many as the team to beat in the tournament on their home soil.

It seemed almost inevitable that the host nation would claim its sixth title in front of all its fans, but first they had to win their semifinal against Germany.

Low-scoring matches in soccer are to be expected, especially when high quality opponents faceoff.

However, 11 minutes in, Germany scored its first goal.

They scored again at the 23rd minute.

Then again a minute later, and two more in the next five minutes.

This semifinal, which was supposed to feature two of the best teams in the world, was over before the first half whistle was blown.

Germany’s five-goal explosion had deflated the entire stadium and an entire country. The Germans looked dominant, winning 7-1, while Brazil looked like they had no business being in a semifinal at all.

Just how easily Germany handled Brazil was a complete shock to soccer experts and casual fans alike.

The story of this game was Brazil’s loss. But it’s important not to overlook just how good this German team was. They did go on to win the World Cup, after all.

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Landon Donovan Goes Out on Top
By Ken Rodney

He didn’t score either goal - those were provided by Gyasi Zardes and Robbie Keane - but as he was many times for club and country, the most important person on the field for the MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy was retiring captain Landon Donovan.

After announcing earlier in the season that he would be calling it quits, the Ontario, California native was in the spotlight for Major League Soccer and he did not disappoint.

Earlier in the season, before the retirement announcement, Donovan scored twice against the Philadelphia Union to become the MLS’ all-time leading scorer, a record that now sits at 144 goals.

He was also famously left off the U.S. national soccer team that competed at the Word Cup in Brazil, after helping them advance to the quarter-finals in 2002 and the round of 16 in 2010.

Still, none of that seemed to matter as he stood in the field of the StubHub Center with his arms raised in the air triumphantly after capturing his league record sixth MLS Cup.

The MLS’ most celebrated, most decorated player and its marquee player, going out on top.