Shakhtar Give Ukraine Its First Ever UEFA Cup

By: chris | May 21st, 2009

For years people have been saying the former Soviet Bloc is on the rise – Russia and Ukraine primed to become two of Europe’s veritable powers. Well yesterday Shakhtar took the latest step – the largest one yet – on the path to European legitimacy by deservedly winning Ukraine’s first ever UEFA Cup. But for teams once from the old Soviet Union – this was their third in five years, with Shakhtar following Zenit’s triumph last year and CSKA Moscow in 2005.

And all this in the last ever UEFA Cup! (Please.)

It wasn’t the greatest game ever played and the gap in quality between the UEFA Cup final and the Champions League final which hasn’t even taken place yet was hardly subtle – this was clearly the continent’s second competition. But that doesn’t matter today and nor should it.

The game for Shakhtar was largely about their foreign contingent: though Dmitri Chygrynskiy was good and Andriy Pyatov the hero on one occasion, it was all about the Brazilians and the most underrated fullback in world football, Darijo Srna (and a man who appears from distance the ideal captain).

You would’ve assumed the pitch was tilted to the right during the first half, with nearly every attack coming through either Srna or winger Ilsinho, the opening goal came right through the middle, with Willian dummying the ball through the Werder defense and into the path of a rushing Luiz Adriano, who chipped it easily over Wiese. One quick movement, one quick goal.

The equalizer came through Brazilian Naldo, who hit a hammer towards the indecisive Pyatov, putting the ball into his own net. A ball he probably could’ve saved, but hit with enough venom that nobody will complain too much. The goal reinvigorated Werder for a bit, but from there the match was Shakhtar’s to win in a game defined by Brazilians – in Werder’s case the one who wasn’t there. Soon-to-be Juve midfielder Diego had to watch from the stands and that made all the difference, with Werder completely lacking vision and technique in the Ukrainian final third. A harrowing red flag for the Bremen front office to get into gear this summer finding a replacement for the floppy haired one – and quickly.

It wasn’t that Bremen played poorly or would’ve been an entirely undeserving victor. They played to their strengths well – setting their team defense capably against the highly technical by comparison Shakhtar, keeping the Ukrainians – Brazilians too – off the scoreboard for the entire second half and putting a body between the multitude of crosses from the right flank and the orange shirts in the middle every time. Every time but once, that is – and that one time made all the difference. Captain and MotM Srna sent in a daisy cutter and, without a white shirt to clear it, Jadson arrived from midfield to put one hand on the cup in the 7th minute of extra time. Three goals in the game, all three by Brazilians. How’s that for a “European Cup” final? (Does this mean Anderson and Sylvinho will conspire send it to a 1-1 penalty shootout on Wednesday? Hope not.)

And with that goal Ukrainian history was written. A Ukrainian history with a decidedly Brazilian flair.

Trophy presentation: