When Euro 2012 takes place in Poland and Ukraine next summer, fans will enjoy the games in a combination of new venues and historic locations upgraded for the games. October 29 saw the last two of the eight stadiums open to fanfare in Ukraine and a soccer game in Poland.
Poland
The Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw, Poland hosted it's first soccer match October 28. The game between WKS Slask Wroclaw and KS Lechia Gdansk took place in front of a sold out crowd of 42,771. Municipal Stadium Wroclaw is the last to be ready of the facilities in Poland, and all are now up and running in advance of Euro 2012. The Polish national team will take on Italy November 11 in a friendly that will christen the stadium for international competition.
The facility in Wroclaw will play host to three group play matches for Euro 2012, joining PGE Arena in Gdansk, Municipal Stadium in Poznan, and National Stadium in Warsaw as host venues in Poland.
Ukraine
Arena Lviv opened the next day to fireworks, various displays, a theatrical production, and a concert featuring Ukrainian artist Ruslana and American pop star Anastacia. Ruslana won the 2004 Eurovision competition with the song "Wild Dance." The sold-out party welcomed the stadium that will host three Group B and be the home pitch for Karpaty Lviv.
Joining Arena Lviv as Euro 2012 venues in Ukraine are the Regional Sports Complex in Kharkiv, Donbass Arena in Donetsk, and Olympic Stadium at the National Sports Complex in Kyiv. Olympic Stadium will host the finals and the closing ceremonies, and is the most famous of all the venues.
Olympic Stadium dates back to 1923, when the original site was called Red Stadium and also named for the famous revolutionary L. Trotsky. It underwent renovations of the years and an upgraded facility meant to be the pride of the city was to open with a game and gala celebration on June 22, 1941.
That morning, Adolph Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, his massive invasion of the Soviet Union. The stadium was used to house troops and supplies, and the occupying Germans staged matches there. The game scheduled for the start of the war took place June 25, 1944. Anyone presenting a ticket for the original date was of course allowed in. In a match that will highlight the new facility and the spirit of international soccer while giving a nod to history will take place November 11, When the Ukrainian National Team will host Germany.
The facility had it's reopening ceremony October 8 was attended by Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych and had a show that featured a big concert, headlined by international superstar Shakira. It was also interrupted by topless women running out onto the pitch to protest what they imagine will be an increase in sex tourism due to Euro 2012.
The tournament in Ukraine and Poland promises to be full of excitement and outstanding soccer. All matches are sold out already, so anyone planning to attend a match will have to look to resellers.
0 comments:
Post a Comment