When the German national team and the Ukrainian team meet, football plays a subordinate role. Ukraine fans thank Germany for military support against Russian aggression and salute their own armed forces.
Referee Anastasios Sidiropoulos had just blown the whistle for the grueling final phase when the stadium management was already reminding us of the motto of this football game. “Thank you for being a friend” rang out the speakers at Bremen’s Weser Stadium after the national teams of Germany and Ukraine had split 3-3 (1-2).
With a catch-up race in the last few minutes, the German Football Association team averted the defeat they really deserved, and scored the late equalizer with a penalty from captain Joshua Kimmich in injury time. In a game of peace and solidarity that ended in a draw. Almost as if there had been a script for this encounter in Bremen’s Weser Stadium.
“Of course, a football game can’t change anything in a war situation,” said Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier before kick-off, but the 90 minutes could be a distraction for Ukraine, which has been fighting the illegal military invasion since the morning of February 24, 2022 must defend Russia.
The Ukrainian fans’ “Thanks, now I have Leopard” banner.
(Photo: Torben Siemer)
A Ukrainian colleague in the press room confirmed this: He knew of an acquaintance who had written to him that he wanted to watch the game with his unit: “It’s a big game for Ukraine. Playing against Germany is always the same something special.”
“Se-sse-u” with a clear message
The atmosphere around the stadium, which was sold out on Monday evening with 35,795 spectators, was also exceptional. The colors and flags of Ukraine could be seen everywhere, and some fans had even bothered to mix two jerseys into one. One half in the traditional white of the DFB-Elf, the other in the bright yellow of the Ukrainian selection. Denys, who didn’t want to reveal more than his first name, was especially looking forward to finally seeing “his” national team live again.
Natalia, who also kept her first name, had come with her son and was “glad about the distraction in the middle of the war” – and about meeting so many compatriots to strengthen solidarity through football. The Ukrainian fan block also sent several clear messages to all those who followed the game. Even before kick-off he showed a large banner with the words “Thank you, now I have Leopard” and a large leopard standing on the tank of the same name. Thank you for the military support that the Federal Republic is providing to Ukraine.
But the block was also aimed at the fighters in the Ukraine, and given the visitors’ 3-1 lead at times, it was alone in creating a mood in the stadium. The Ukrainians kept shouting “Se-sse-u”, which the Ukrainian colleague kindly translated: It was the abbreviation “ZSU”, which stands for “Zbroini syly Ukrainy”, the armed forces of Ukraine. A signal of support that has been heard again and again at international football matches since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression.
In between, only “U-Kra-I-Na” echoes through the stadium
In addition, there were all those signs of solidarity and connectedness that should not be valued less just because they can be seen regularly: the large peace sign in the center circle, the joint photo of both teams after the national anthems, the great applause of the spectators, as the Ukrainian footballers come onto the pitch for their warm-up routine.
Ukrainian flags can be seen everywhere in the stands, there is no sign of rivalry, the focus is on togetherness. The course of the game does not change that, as the German team takes the lead before the Ukrainian team converts a 0-1 deficit into a 3-1 lead up to the 56th minute.
The 1000th international match in the history of the German Football Association developed into a debacle in that phase, the fans of the DFB-Elf commented with loud whistles and boos. The initial phase, in which a La Ola wave sloshes through the circuit for minutes, is long forgotten.
In between, only “U-Kra-I-Na” can be heard, and almost only yellow-blue flags can be seen in the stands. Fifteen minutes before the end, the team of national coach Hansi Flick threatens to fall apart completely, after a great solo and a precise pass from Chelsea’s 100 million man Mikhailo Mudryk, goalkeeper Kevin Trapp can just prevent the 1: 4.
Flick gets more questions than answers
When the stadium announcer happily announces “sold out” shortly afterwards, there is a loud whistling concert and then at least as loud “Here the SVW rules” chants. Werder striker Niclas Füllkrug, who was the only German goal scorer until the final phase, explains this humorously afterwards by saying that the Bremen crowd is used to top-class football – and then criticizes his own performance and that of the entire team.
Then Kai Havertz saved a disappointing DFB team at least the draw with his goal to make it 2:3 in the 83rd minute and a strong move to the goal in the 90th minute, which Eduard Sobol could only stop with a foul. Because captain Kimmich places the following penalty kick with a low shot exactly on the left post that the ball smacks behind the line out of reach for keeper Anatoli Trubin.
The end of a football game that should have given national coach Hansi Flick more questions than answers on the way to the home European Championship in 2024. In terms of sport, after three disappointing tournaments, there is still no visible upward trend that gives hope for the tournament next year. The importance of at least this game in Bremen’s Weser Stadium seems to go far beyond the sporting side for many people. Which, at least in this respect, allows a benevolent interpretation of the 3:3 draw, which is flattering from a German point of view.