Benefit game brings 400,000 euros: Emotional defeat against Kyiv makes BVB happy

Benefit game brings 400,000 euros
Emotional defeat against Kyiv makes BVB happy

Five goals were scored in the Westfalenstadion, but another number is important: Borussia Dortmund and Dynamo Kyiv collected 400,000 euros with the benefit game dedicated to the victims of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. Two young players provide emotional moments.

When 13-year-old Nikita Semenow passed Erling Haaland at the kick-off, many of the 35,000 spectators in Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion had a lump in their throats. The junior footballer from Dynamo Kyiv fled with his mother from an air raid shelter via Poland to Berlin, and now he was allowed to open the benefit game between Borussia and the Ukrainian flagship club. It was just one of many signs of peace, large and small, on a memorable evening.

The fact that BVB lost 2: 3 (1: 3) against Dynamo was only a minor matter. Visiting goals by Vitaliy Buyalskiy (9th minute) and Vladyslav Vanat (11th/35th) to make it 3:2 (3:1) were cheered by the fans of both teams. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (4th) and Tom Rothe (65th) contributed the goals for BVB. Where otherwise black and yellow ruled, the colors blue and yellow of the Ukraine determined the scenery that evening. “Stop War” was written on the boards, and the national anthem played before kick-off. “It’s about setting an example – and earning a little money,” said BVB managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke on ZDF, which broadcast live.

The proud figure of 400,000 euros finally came together. “We’ll do something decent with it, we have a lot of experience there,” said Watzke. Former Bundesliga professional Andrei Voronin thanked for the support. After similar games by the 16-time Ukrainian champions from Kyiv in Warsaw, Istanbul and Cluj, the Bundesliga club probably contributed to the highest revenue from this mission to date. “We hope that we can play games like this again in Ukraine soon. I pray every day that it will be over as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we don’t see the end,” said the long-time Ukraine international.

Klitschko thanks via video message

There was great unanimity in the stands. “Stop War – Stop Putin”, “Save Mariupol” or simply “Peace” was on the posters when the players stepped onto the lawn to the sound of the football anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – the guests each wrapped in a national flag . Ivan Matviychuk from Shakhtar Donetsk U17s, who fled Ukraine with his mother and grandfather and currently lives in Dortmund, helped stadium announcer Norbert Dickel read out the line-ups.

Among the spectators were also DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst. Neuendorf spoke of an important message to Ukraine during the game. “The tanks are rolling there, people live in constant fear. A game like this means an important change,” said the DFB boss. With Alan Aussi, a young Ukrainian professional was used as a guest player in the BVB team, who found shelter with a club employee and is currently training with the Revierklub’s U23 team.

At BVB there was never any doubt about the execution of the encounter. “It’s nothing new for us that we support people who are in need. We already did that during the flood, that’s a matter of course for us,” said Reinhard Rauball on ZDF: “As President of Borussia Dortmund I’m proud of those who came today and made sure that people got something to eat and drink”. Ukrainians could book free tickets for the game, and all fans were offered solidarity bracelets.

In a video message a few minutes before kick-off, Wladimir Klitschko, former boxing world champion and brother of Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko, thanked BVB and the fans: “You show that we will not forget. You show that Vladimir Putin war will never win.”

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