Together with one of my colleagues at my new company, Q Network, I was interested in following today’s Champions League final between Liverpool and AC Milan. So from 11.45 this morning (the time of the kick-off for Californians), I had my browser open to The Guardian’s invaluable minute-by-minute report.

On the first refresh of the browser it was already 1-0 to Milan. “It’s over,” we chorused. After all, it was Milan, and everyone knows about solid Italian defending. We went to lunch down the street, to a rather poor Mexican restaurant. Lo and behold, the game was being shown there. So over our enchiladas we watched as Milan overran the poor Reds and went up 3-0 at halftime. If it had been all over at 1-0, there’s no doubt what 3-0 would mean.

We walked back from lunch just as the second half was starting. When I refreshed my browser, it was 3-2. A couple of minutes later it was 3-3. And then, as is only just, Liverpool won the penalty shoot-out after extra time couldn’t separate the two scores.

I wish I could have watched the whole game. But our vicarious, half attentive following was excitement enough. Even filtered through a text report, that was as tense a match as could be imagined.