a little personal challenge

Dear friends,

I am back in Kharkiv.

Kharkiv and Nurnberg of Germany are twin cities.

This is an irony because tonight Holland faces Portugal in a crucial match here.

and 8 years ago in Nurnberg during WC 2006, the same 2 teams met in a match known as the Battle of Nurnberg.

something like 12 or 14 yellow cards and 4 red cards. the most in a WC game!!!

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well I have a little personal challenge today.

My friend from Kharkiv asked to find 3 cheap tickets for his friends.

also Pierre, my hostel roommate in Donetsk, has decided at the last minute to come with me to Kharkiv.

and he needs one ticket too.

He had been getting bored in Donetsk for one week, following his French team. He did not dare to go to other cities without tickets. so over a late lunch yesterday in Donetsk, he asked me

'do you think I can find a ticket for Holland-Portugal? I really like to see that game'

he is asking me if I can get a soccer ticket. too funny.

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during our train ride last night, the first half of the 2 Group A matches were on.

When Greece scored, most of the media people in my wagon said 'oh no, not again!!!'

Greece is not popular with neutral fans.

when the Czechs scored in early second half, a thought crossed my mind.

Poland had to win the game but once they were behind the Czechs, their goal to tie the game was not enough.

but that goal would help Russia. um um.

I am sure there were Polish authorities who did not want to see Poland scored the equalizer as this would mean Russia plays QF and/or SF in Poland. so much troubles so far with the Russian matches.

for the Russian fans, what a big blow. They have been talking about how they would finish first, play QF in Warsaw and then SF in Donetsk. They were all looking forward to Russia playing in Ukraine.

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for UEFA, the elimination of Russia is a VERY BIG blow, financially. Russian fans were the biggest buyers of hospitality packages (i.e. expensive tickets). Now they are gone and we have Greece.

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the other match tonight is Germany vs Denmark.

German fans dream of first place so they can play QF in Gdansk and SF in Warsaw,

both much closer to Germany.

but be careful to think too far ahead. Denmark can ruin anyone's dream. they have no pressure.

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and so I will be in stadium for Holland vs Portugal. I hope this will not be remembered as the Battle of Kharkiv or the second Battle of Nurnberg.

tomorrow I go home....

Sebastian

PS: here are some of the retro shirts on sale at Adidas shop plus shirts with the newest slogan '... all together'