Shakhtar wins UEFA Cup, but supporters fail to create magic
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Çetin Cem Yılmaz
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 22, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk puts on a solid performance to see off Germany’s Werder Bremen 2-1 in overtime in the UEFA Cup final at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. The final in Istanbul satisfies in providing quality football, but the crowd lacks the final atmosphere that a European competition final match deserves to have
As a football fan, you have to love it when your city hosts an international game that leaves a feeling similar to that of a circus coming to town.
You do not have fancy elephants or lions jumping through rings of fire, and you see binge-drinking, loud-speaking, anthem-chanting fans abiding by an unwritten dress code of their teams’ colors, but for an outsider, the joy and thrill is similar: It is all about watching closely and hoping to be in their place one day.
Shakhtar Donetsk beat Werder Bremen 2-1 in overtime Wednesday to claim the UEFA Cup, but for a football fan, there was more about the night than the game.
Wednesday’s UEFA Cup final at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium was already important for it was the last event of this 38-year competition, but it meant more for Turkish football aficionados. True, there are universal rules for how to play the game, but that is not the case when it comes to how to watch it. Getting closer to knowing different fan bases can be as precious as knowing the game itself.
To be fair, the Shakhtar-Werder Bremer match took too long to energize Istanbul and create an electric atmosphere.
The city only got into it on Wednesday, finally proving that it would be a day to remember. Taking the ferry to Kadıköy from the Sirkeci Pier was the first encounter for this Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review reporter. A crowd of predominantly Ukrainian fans was making its way to the Asian side, where the game would be played. Aside from the unusual numbers of blond people, the main difference on the pier from any other day was the alcohol: Normally, it takes more than courage to drink beer in a public transport vehicle, but this time, the police and the municipality understandably let it loose.
But still, it not the most usual scene for the Turks, and you could hear them talk about it, not out of disapproval, but out of admiration.
"They can drink a lot. Your body wouldn’t be handling that much," one elderly man was saying to another. "They are used to it."
The differences between Turks and foreign fans were marked once again on the ferry, as the locals rushed inside, while visitors chose to sit outside on a fairly windy May Istanbul evening. Some would get back inside the ferry during the half-hour trip, but only after taking pictures of the Bosphorus.
Finally, on the Asian side, the real spirit of a European cup final could be felt. A crowd wearing Werder Bremen’s green turned the Kadıköy square to a German street, while Shakhtar’s orange was the favorite color on Kalamış. The fan zones were defined by the organization committee prior to the match, separating the two sides, but even if a Werder fan were to mistakenly fall into the Shakhtar area or vice versa, the crowd did not look to make trouble.
Just as the organization committee and the municipality looked to have done their best to be ready for the final, Istanbul’s tradesmen did their homework, too. From both sides’ jerseys to special UEFA Cup final T-shirts, they did their own merchandizing, but the big hit was the scarf that bore the two sides’ colors: a perfect souvenir of such a day.
Mobile beer sellers
Not to forget the mobile beer sellers Ğ they were right on the point whenever a German or Ukrainian needed more alcohol. But there were some places at which fans worked the other end of the trade, as some fans tried to sell their tickets, lowering prices every moment, showing signs that the game was not sold out.
At the start of the game, the orange crowd was the livelier side, but Werder fans would take the upper hand later. Shakhtar fans’ style was more like Turks: They started fast with chants but would get tired and silent quickly. The Germans watched it like the English, observing the game carefully, saving their organized chants for the moments needed.
Not surprisingly, the biggest crowd action came from the Turks. A group of people was taken out of the game after fighting and throwing chairs at each other. They were Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe fans carrying their own fierce rivalry to a European cup final.
Turks’ helping hand
The second time Turks said "we are here" was teaching the Ukrainians some chants. Beşiktaş’s famous "Kartal, gol gol gol" (Eagles, goal, goal, goal) was adopted as "Shakhtar, goal, goal, goal."
Luis Adriano’s opening goal was likely to turn the game to Shakhtar’s way, but Naldo’s response leveled the game and helped both teams play more carefully. From that moment, the game seemed to be fated for extra time, and Brazilian Jadson defined the winner in the 97th minute. However, Shakhtar fans seemed to be quickly over their joy of winning the trophy for the first time. After the cup ceremony, they rushed to the exits, skipping what might be an unforgettable hail from their heroes.
Shakhtar was a worthy winner, and the game itself had a fine quality, although far from the ultimate UEFA Cup game, especially lacking the electric atmosphere from the fans. Istanbul passed the test as a European trophy host, but the fans hardly did. It would be safe to say most Turkish football fans left the game with thoughts of what might have been if it had been them instead of Shakhtar or Werder fans.
You do not have fancy elephants or lions jumping through rings of fire, and you see binge-drinking, loud-speaking, anthem-chanting fans abiding by an unwritten dress code of their teams’ colors, but for an outsider, the joy and thrill is similar: It is all about watching closely and hoping to be in their place one day.
Shakhtar Donetsk beat Werder Bremen 2-1 in overtime Wednesday to claim the UEFA Cup, but for a football fan, there was more about the night than the game.
Wednesday’s UEFA Cup final at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium was already important for it was the last event of this 38-year competition, but it meant more for Turkish football aficionados. True, there are universal rules for how to play the game, but that is not the case when it comes to how to watch it. Getting closer to knowing different fan bases can be as precious as knowing the game itself.
To be fair, the Shakhtar-Werder Bremer match took too long to energize Istanbul and create an electric atmosphere.
The city only got into it on Wednesday, finally proving that it would be a day to remember. Taking the ferry to Kadıköy from the Sirkeci Pier was the first encounter for this Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review reporter. A crowd of predominantly Ukrainian fans was making its way to the Asian side, where the game would be played. Aside from the unusual numbers of blond people, the main difference on the pier from any other day was the alcohol: Normally, it takes more than courage to drink beer in a public transport vehicle, but this time, the police and the municipality understandably let it loose.
But still, it not the most usual scene for the Turks, and you could hear them talk about it, not out of disapproval, but out of admiration.
"They can drink a lot. Your body wouldn’t be handling that much," one elderly man was saying to another. "They are used to it."
The differences between Turks and foreign fans were marked once again on the ferry, as the locals rushed inside, while visitors chose to sit outside on a fairly windy May Istanbul evening. Some would get back inside the ferry during the half-hour trip, but only after taking pictures of the Bosphorus.
Finally, on the Asian side, the real spirit of a European cup final could be felt. A crowd wearing Werder Bremen’s green turned the Kadıköy square to a German street, while Shakhtar’s orange was the favorite color on Kalamış. The fan zones were defined by the organization committee prior to the match, separating the two sides, but even if a Werder fan were to mistakenly fall into the Shakhtar area or vice versa, the crowd did not look to make trouble.
Just as the organization committee and the municipality looked to have done their best to be ready for the final, Istanbul’s tradesmen did their homework, too. From both sides’ jerseys to special UEFA Cup final T-shirts, they did their own merchandizing, but the big hit was the scarf that bore the two sides’ colors: a perfect souvenir of such a day.
Mobile beer sellers
Not to forget the mobile beer sellers Ğ they were right on the point whenever a German or Ukrainian needed more alcohol. But there were some places at which fans worked the other end of the trade, as some fans tried to sell their tickets, lowering prices every moment, showing signs that the game was not sold out.
At the start of the game, the orange crowd was the livelier side, but Werder fans would take the upper hand later. Shakhtar fans’ style was more like Turks: They started fast with chants but would get tired and silent quickly. The Germans watched it like the English, observing the game carefully, saving their organized chants for the moments needed.
Not surprisingly, the biggest crowd action came from the Turks. A group of people was taken out of the game after fighting and throwing chairs at each other. They were Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe fans carrying their own fierce rivalry to a European cup final.
Turks’ helping hand
The second time Turks said "we are here" was teaching the Ukrainians some chants. Beşiktaş’s famous "Kartal, gol gol gol" (Eagles, goal, goal, goal) was adopted as "Shakhtar, goal, goal, goal."
Luis Adriano’s opening goal was likely to turn the game to Shakhtar’s way, but Naldo’s response leveled the game and helped both teams play more carefully. From that moment, the game seemed to be fated for extra time, and Brazilian Jadson defined the winner in the 97th minute. However, Shakhtar fans seemed to be quickly over their joy of winning the trophy for the first time. After the cup ceremony, they rushed to the exits, skipping what might be an unforgettable hail from their heroes.
Shakhtar was a worthy winner, and the game itself had a fine quality, although far from the ultimate UEFA Cup game, especially lacking the electric atmosphere from the fans. Istanbul passed the test as a European trophy host, but the fans hardly did. It would be safe to say most Turkish football fans left the game with thoughts of what might have been if it had been them instead of Shakhtar or Werder fans.