So it came to pass that Wednesday night was the final, final of the Uefa Cup. Europe's second major competition had been in this guise since 1971, when it replaced the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. From next season it will be in it's third generation and will be known as the Europa League, which when analysed doesn't seem to be any less convoluted than the Uefa Cup is now. Let's hope it's not a revamp that flatters to deceive as its name suggests it might.
Anyway, as for last nights send off for the Uefa Cup, it was keenly contested by two of the less glamorous or at least well known teams in this years competition: Werder Bremen and Shakhtar Donetsk. Both teams had to negotiate some considerable opposition to get to the final and should be commended for surmounting the large number of games it can take to do so.
On route Werder Bremen had knocked out in the latter stages: AC Milan, Udinese and in the semi-finals their domestic rivals Hamburger SV. Shakhtar had been even more impressive by dispatching the likes of Tottenham, Marseille (comprehensively) and their great rivals Dynamo Kiev in their own semi.
The game itself wasn't quite the all encompassing classic that fate would have it, but still it was quite an absorbing contest between two teams that are evenly matched. Unfortunately for the neutral and especially for Werder Bremen, their star play maker Diego had got himself suspended for the final and his loss was evident as they struggled to find an attacking outlet.
For most of the first half Shakhtar were clearly the more threatening team in attack and they looked confident and relaxed compared to the team from Germany. Nonetheless, the opening ten minutes was promising with both teams creating a good opportunity each to grab an early goal without success. Luiz Adriano and Frank Baumann being the men understandably guilty of early nerves.
It remained fairly even with Shakhtar just having the edge, when they took the lead in the twenty-fifth minute. A sudden break through the middle saw a through ball played forwards to Luiz Adriano, he easily outpaced the defender on either side of him and advanced on Werder's goal. As he raced into the penalty area he was faced with the onrushing goalkeeper Tim Wiese, and he responded with an effortless and delicate chip over him to make it 1-0.
Shakhtar quickly had another couple of opportunities to double their lead and the signs began to look ominous for Thomas Schaaf's team. After having ridden the wave of Shakhtar's probing for further goals, Werder Bremen did the typical thing by grabbing a rather fortunate equalising goal of their own ten minutes before half-time.
Werder earned a free kick from roughly 30 yards out and Ronaldo Naldo had the audacity and optimism to go for goal, and whilst he struck a firm and accurate shot, it was still one that the Shakhtar goalkeeper would have expected to save. Instead Andriy Pyatov had one of those nightmare moments, he got his hands to the ball but didn't stop it, rather it went through him and into the goal in a kind of tragic slow motion.
Despite the huge set-back, the Ukrainian team set about re-gaining the initiative and came very close to doing so just before the break. Mariusz Lewandowski also trying from 30 yards but with a more challenging and impressive effort that required an equally impressive save from Wiese. Things were warming up well and it was a shame when half-time interrupted the flow of the match.
Alas the second half wasn't able to be quite as entertaining as the first, but the one constant was that Shakhtar continued to look like the team more likely to establish a lead. Several half-chances came and went but clear ones were hard to come by as the half drifted on. It was clear in the final ten minutes that both teams were thinking ahead to the inevitable extra-time period that would follow.
There was just a moment in the final seconds of normal time for Werder Bremen to think they had stolen the last Uefa Cup in dramatic circumstances. A rare effective attack down the right hand side led to a low cross across the six yard box, Claudio Pizarro back heeled the ball in but to no avail.
In extra-time Shakhtar's captain Darijo Srna maintained his troublesome running and passing, as well as the occasional play-acting, as his team again looked the more likely to force an opening. With just six minutes gone in extra-time Shakhtar got the crucial breakthrough, and once more the goal came down to some questionable goalkeeping.
A good move culminated in Srna crossing the ball low into Werder's penalty box, where it found Rodrigues Jadson, he maneuvered and struck the ball towards goal. The finish wasn't great though and it was a few yards inside the post, where Wiese would usually be expected to easily gather the ball. Sadly for him he got his hands to it, only to also suffer from weak wrists as he saw the ball trickle off and past him into the net.
Werder almost managed to conjure up a near immediate response, Claudio Pizarro found space at the far post to hit a snap-shot, which Andriy Pyatov did well to get down to and put out for a corner. On the stroke of half-time in extra-time, Shakhtar had a great chance to put the game to bed when Willian beat the off-side trap and saw Wiese advancing from his goal line. Willian attempted to lob him from all of 35 yards but his shot was a couple of feet too high.
The final fifteen minutes were predictable in that Werder tried to press for the all-important second equaliser, whilst Shakhtar began to look more and more content with what they already had. Naturally there was to be one last piece of excitement before the Uefa Cup bowed out. Mid-way through stoppage time Werder had the ball in the net again, and again via Pizarro. This time there was more reason for debate, but replays made it clear that Pizarro had fouled the defender when muscling in the ball from Sebastian Prodl's knockdown.
That was that and Shakhtar saw it through to become the last ever winners of the Uefa Cup and the first Ukrainian club to win a European honour. Overall they deserved their victory and it will be worth noting their progress in next season's Champions League, after all they did manage to defeat Barcelona in this season's competition before bowing out.
As for Werder Bremen they will be obviously disappointed, with those lingering what-ifs regarding the availability of Diego. Still, they have the rare bonus of being able to almost immediately win another trophy to mask the pain of losing this one. They will face Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal (German Cup) final in a little over a weeks time, and so may still end up with a successful season after all. After his incredible dedication to and prior success at the club, it would be very harsh on Thomas Schaaf to experience another final defeat so soon again.
On a final note I hope they keep the Uefa Cup trophy for the new Europa League, simply because I think it's one of the most aesthetically pleasing ones about, let alone the heaviest! The logo for the Europa League suggests that that continuation may happen, but we shall see. The only worry is that the competition ends up as arduous next season as it has been in the last few. If it is then we may see more disrespectful treatment of it like we had from Aston Villa in this campaign. It is still a major honour and it would be a shame for it not to be as highly regarded as it should be, winning trophies in the end should always be more important that finishing one or two places higher in the league...