Ukrainians celebrate win over Scotland in Glasgow
Nearly 50,000 football fans attended the Scotland vs. Ukraine qualifier for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Glasgow on 1 June. The match finished with the score 3-1 to Ukraine, a great morale boost to the nation that has been at war for 100 days.
It was a game that united three colours and two nations: yellow, blue, and white; Scotland and Ukraine. Nearly 50,000 football fans attended the Scotland vs. Ukraine qualifier for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Glasgow on 1 June.
For Ukraine, it was a special day, not only because it is the national team’s first competitive game since Russia started an all-out war against the country on 24 February. It was also Ukraine’s chance to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 2006.
The game that was supposed to happen last March was postponed because Ukraine could not field a team one month after Russian launched its military invasion. In the same time, Russia was thrown out of qualifying.
“Of course, I’m expecting Ukraine to win because it’s my country and because of what’s been happening recently. But I don’t want any pity. I don’t want Ukraine to win because of the war. I want a legit victory and to just have a great party with other Ukrainians and enjoy ourselves,” Victoria Gillies, a Ukrainian from Ternopil, said.
Her husband, Scot Clark Gillies, will be watching from the Scottish sector.
“I know a lot of Scotland fans are scared about this feel good story for Ukraine and it’s a little bit annoying,” he said. “I think they’re missing the bigger picture, they’re looking at it from a Scotland point of view. Ukraine doesn’t want pity, they want to beat us tonight, Wales on Sunday, and go to the World Cup but not as a sympathy card.”
Clark says that he’s still a Scottish fan and wants Scotland to win.
“Fortunately for us, Ukraine has much bigger problems than we’ll ever have,” he noted.
At Walkabout, we meet Olga and her father who came to Glasgow all the way from Lviv in Ukraine. They’re wearing bright yellow jackets adorned with “From Lviv with rain”.
To catch the game in person, the pair had to cross the border into Poland and then fly from Krakow to Glasgow. Olga owns a travel agency back in Ukraine that organises trips for Ukrainian football fans. Today, however, they travelled on their own due to both the logistical difficulties of crossing the border from Ukraine and the war-imposed travel ban on men between 18 and 60.
As Hampden Park gets busier in the lead up to the game, vendors revel in the festive spirit and offer both Scottish and Ukrainian football souvenirs.
Around 2,000 Ukrainian football fans watched the game from the Ukrainian sector. The Ukraine fans chanted for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, sang Ukrainian songs, and other Ukraine chants.
The match finished with the score 3-1 to Ukraine, a great morale boost to the nation that has been at war for 100 days.
As the game ended, football fan Maria from Kyiv shared her impressions. “We’re not avid football fans but we really liked it,” she said standing alongside her two daughters.
The three of them travelled for the game and are now planning their trip to Cardiff for the Wales-Ukraine match on Sunday. If Ukraine wins that game, the team will attend the World Cup in Qatar in November.
“The mood among the Ukrainians was great, very patriotic,” she said.
Perhaps less happy was the day for Scottish fans, whose team lost the chance to qualify for the World Cup 2022. However, the fans took the loss graciously. Many shook hands and hugged the Ukrainian fans located across the fence.
If Ukraine wins the Wales-Ukraine match on Sunday, Ukraine will qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.