A year ago it was Ailton, this time around it’s Angelos Charisteas. Once again, Werder Bremen will be meeting up with an old accomplice when they face Feyenoord Rotterdam in the final of the Efes-Cup on Thursday, 11.01.2007 (7pm live on Eurosport).
A year ago it was Ailton, this time around it’s Angelos Charisteas. Once again, Werder Bremen will be meeting up with an old accomplice when they face Feyenoord Rotterdam in the final of the Efes-Cup on Thursday, 11.01.2007 (7pm live on Eurosport).
A year ago it was Ailton, this time around it’s Angelos Charisteas. Once again, Werder Bremen will be meeting up with an old accomplice when they face Feyenoord Rotterdam in the final of the Efes-Cup on Thursday, 11.01.2007 (7pm live on Eurosport).
The Dutch first division side made it through to the final against the Green-Whites by beating Galatasaray Istanbul 2:1 (1:1) in their semi-final on Tuesday evening. The goals were scored by Pierre van Hooijdonk (16’) with a stunning effort from all of 40 meters and Tim Vincken who struck the winner on the hour after Necati had drawn the sides level before the break (43’).
Feyenoord – a top name in Dutch football
With Feyenoord Rotterdam, Werder will be facing a club drenched in tradition and one of the most successful address in the history of Dutch football. This season the 14 time Dutch champions currently sit comfortably in fourth place in the league with 39 points so far behind Eindhoven (53), Ajax (42) and Alkmaar (41). Although the Dutch side got the season off to a poor start, they found their footing and, just as Werder, are still involved on the European stage. In the UEFA-Cup trainer Erwin Koeman’s side will have the task of overcoming England’s Tottenham Hotspurs in February. Feyenoord’s last great international success was also in the UEFA-Cup which they won in 2002, beating Borussia Dortmund in the final.
Charisteas in the red and white
For just over six months now the Rotterdam club have been enjoying the assistance of a one time Werder striker. European champion with Greece, Angelos Charisteas played his football on the Weser between 2002 and December 2004 where he was involved in 66 games and scored 18 goals for the Green-Whites. Until August 2006 Charisteas was in the Dutch capital playing for Ajax, Werder’s next UEFA-Cup opponents, but made the switch to their arch rivals from Rotterdam just a day before the transfer window closed in summer after having been demoted to the bench by Ajax coach Henk ten Cate. Since his move to Feyenoord, ‘Harry’ has played 15 games for the club and scored four goals.
No good memories of Rotterdam
The best know player in the Feyenoord ranks , alongside Charisteas, is without doubt ex-Holland international Pierre van Hooijdonk, who at 37 years old, is also the clubs most experienced player. For all his time at the club, van Hooijdonk was not at the club on the only occasion that Werder and Feyenoord clashed. Those who can remember the tie back in 1994 will recall it was the last sixteen of the European Cup Winners Cup but the memories will not be so fond. The Dutch side won both legs to put Werder out of the tournament (0:1, 3:4).
The return leg at the Weser Sadium was particularly dramatic. The Green-Whites had taken the lead (Wladimir Bestchastnykh) but by the 67th minute they were trailing 2:4. Two of the goals conceded came from penalties given away by Mario Basler. Werder got the score back to 3:4 in added time but it was too little too late for the German side.
A historical even that the Werder faithful of today will hardly be disturbed by. The Green-Whites will be hoping to pick up where they left off against Besiktas when they meet Feyenoord in the Efes-Cup final to take the ‘first’ title of 2007.
