Bremen, Shakhtar to clash in cup final
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Agence France-Presse
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 09, 2009 00:00
PARIS - Germany's Werder Bremen will face Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine booked their spots for the UEFA Cup final in Istanbul after coming through thrilling semifinals on Thursday.
Second-half goals by Claudio Pizarro and captain Frank Baumann sealed a 3-2 win for Bremen at German rival Hamburg and a ticket to the May 20 final at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium courtesy of the away goals rule.
Piotr Trochowski had given Hamburg a 1-0 advantage from Bremen's in the first leg, but goals by Diego, Pizarro and Baumann here cancelled out a brace from Hamburg's Ivica Olic.
"It was a great and open game - sensational," said Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf. "We always believed we could do it and we kept working until the end."
Baumann's goal was a dramatic one for Hamburg, as it came from a corner kick won on a strange occasion. Hamburg's Michael Gravgaard was about to pass the ball to his goalkeeper near his box, but shinned the ball out for a corner when it hit a rolled up ball of paper on the pitch and changed direction.
Shakhtar thanked its Brazilian contingent's eye for goal as they saw off fellow Ukrainians Dynamo Kiev 2-1 (3-2 on aggregate) to reach the final for the first time.
Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu praised his team.
"We are now a part of the history of European football," he said. "It was a tough game as Dynamo was at its best as well."
Brazilian Ilsinho netted a goal fit to win any game, finishing with aplomb at the end of a flowing move two minutes from time.
Piotr Trochowski had given Hamburg a 1-0 advantage from Bremen's in the first leg, but goals by Diego, Pizarro and Baumann here cancelled out a brace from Hamburg's Ivica Olic.
"It was a great and open game - sensational," said Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf. "We always believed we could do it and we kept working until the end."
Baumann's goal was a dramatic one for Hamburg, as it came from a corner kick won on a strange occasion. Hamburg's Michael Gravgaard was about to pass the ball to his goalkeeper near his box, but shinned the ball out for a corner when it hit a rolled up ball of paper on the pitch and changed direction.
Shakhtar thanked its Brazilian contingent's eye for goal as they saw off fellow Ukrainians Dynamo Kiev 2-1 (3-2 on aggregate) to reach the final for the first time.
Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu praised his team.
"We are now a part of the history of European football," he said. "It was a tough game as Dynamo was at its best as well."
Brazilian Ilsinho netted a goal fit to win any game, finishing with aplomb at the end of a flowing move two minutes from time.