Wednesday 20 May 2009

UC - Shakhtar triumph in final UEFA Cup

Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Werder Bremen (AET)Rodrigues Jadson's extra-time winner sank Werder Bremen and ensured Shakhtar Donetsk became the 25th and final club to claim the UEFA Cup.

Luiz Adriano's delicate finish put Shakhtar in front after 25 minutes. Bremen equalised before the interval when Shakhtar goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov could only divert Ronaldo Naldo's long-range free-kick into his own net. And it was another goalkeeping error that gave Shakhtar victory in extra-time, when Tim Wiese allowed Jadson's 97th-minute strike to squirm in.


The Ukrainian outfit deserved the victory in Istanbul's Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, but Werder will reflect on the absence of inspirational forward Diego, who is reportedly on his way to Juventus, because of suspension.

In its 38-year history, Italian clubs have been the undisputed kings of the UEFA Cup having lifted the trophy nine times out of 15 finalists – more than any other country.

UEFA Cup winners
Italy 9/15: Inter (1991, 1994, 1998), Juventus (1977, 1990, 1993), Parma (1995, 1999), Napoli (1989).
Germany 6/14: Borussia Monchengladbach (1975, 1979), Bayern Munich (1996), Bayer Leverkusen (1988), Schalke (1997), Eintracht Frankfurt (1980).
England 6/10: Liverpool (1973, 1976, 2001), Tottenham Hotspur (1972, 1984), Ipswich Town (1981).
Spain 5/9: Real Madrid (1985, 1986), Sevilla (2006, 2007), Valencia (2004).
Netherlands 4/6: Feyenoord (1974, 2002), PSV Eindhoven (1978), Ajax (1992).
Russia 2/2: CSKA Moscw (2005), Zenit St. Petersburg (2008).
Sweden 2/2: Gothenborg (1982, 1987).
Belgium 1/3: Anderlecht (1983).
Portugal 1/3: Porto (2003).
Turkey 1/1: Galatasaray (2000).
Ukraine 1/1: Shakhtar Donetsk (2009).

With Shakhtar now the final ever winners of the UEFA Cup, the competition is being given a total makeover this summer. It will become the UEFA Europa League from the beginning of the 2009-10 campaign to enhance the image and profile of European club football's second club competition. The evolution of the new competition also marks the end of the summer UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Italy will have three entrants in the new competition. The team that finishes sixth in Serie A enters at the Third Qualifying stage and the team which finishes fifth in Serie A, an the winner of the Coppa Italia, go into the fourth and final qualifying stage which will be known as the Play-off Round.

Source: UEFA

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