Ukraine won their final friendly match against the Republic of Moldova team. Why an insignificant kick can be a political event.
Enough with politics! Let’s talk about football! The European Championship starts on Friday, and Ukraine is participating. On Tuesday, they played their last friendly match before the tournament. After a 4-0 victory in Chisinau against an overwhelmed Moldova team, Ukraine goes into the competition with some momentum. Moldova against Ukraine. Just football?
Before the game started, the teams lined up for a minute of silence at the center circle. The moment of silence was more than just a rehearsed mourning ritual for both teams. It was in memory of the victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Moldova also knows all too well the consequences of Russian imperialism. Transnistria, a narrow strip between the Dniester River and the Ukrainian border in the east of the country, declared independence in 1990 and came under Russia’s military protection.
„At the corners of the stadium in Moldova’s capital Chișinău, as is usual at games organized by UEFA, large banners with the word ‚peace‘ hung. The seemingly helpless message of peace from a football association suddenly carries real significance in a place like this.
Of course, Ukrainian national coach Serhij Rebrow said after the game what a coach usually says – that they need to analyze the game, that he is glad they came through the friendly matches without major injuries, and that it is important to go into the European Championship with a positive attitude. But he also had a message for the fans in Ukraine: „I have always said how great it is that Ukraine, in the midst of war, was able to qualify for this event. And we will do everything to represent the country appropriately at the Euros.“
Moldovan football is also in a state of ongoing exceptionality. The reigning champions are Sheriff Tiraspol, a team from Transnistria. The club, which plays in the Moldovan league as if the province had never declared independence, even made it to the Champions League and beat Real Madrid 2-1 in 2021. The fact that Uzbek Jasur Yakhshiboev and Luxembourger Sebastien Thill scored for Tiraspol back then is long forgotten. The story of Sheriff Tiraspol is still being told. It has little to do with football.
Andreas Rüttenauer
Additional Information: The political tensions between Ukraine and Russia have spilled over into the realm of football, where each match carries a deeper symbolic meaning. The story of Sheriff Tiraspol highlights the complexities of football in a region marred by conflict and division. Despite the challenges, the sport continues to bring people together and offer a sense of unity and hope in the face of adversity.