NETHERLANDS: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Chelsea fans rejoice, Benfica lament their defeat

Record ID: 774343

  • Title: NETHERLANDS: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Chelsea fans rejoice, Benfica lament their defeat
  • Date: 15th May 2013
  • Summary: AMSTERDAM, NERTHERLANDS (May 15, 2013) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SCENES) AMSTERDAM AJAX STADIUM AND POLICE CAR DRIVING BY POLICEWOMEN ON HORSES AND FANS LEAVING THE STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English), CHELSEA FANS, SAYING: "How do we feel? This is how we feel: Chelsea! Chelsea! Chelsea!" BENFICA SUPPORTER DRESSED AS SAINT NICHOLAS, PATRON SAINT OF THE CITY OF AMSTERDAM FANS LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Netherlands
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAER2KXVIW71HKKM80GQCQ407XG
  • Story Text: Chelsea fans leave the Amsterdam Arena happy that Chelsea won the Europa League while Benfica supporters regret missed opportunities.

    Chelsea fans left the Amsterdam Arena in festive mood on Wednesday (May 15) beating Benfica 2-1 to win the Europa League.
    The winning goal by Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic in stoppage time sent the London club's blue-decked fans into raptures and meant Chelsea became the first English club to win all three of UEFA's major trophies.
    Ajax Amsterdam, Bayern Munich and Juventus are the only other teams to have won the Europa League, European Cup and the now defunct Cup Winners' Cup.
    "How do we feel? This is how we feel: Chelsea! Chelsea! Chelsea!", said an enthusiastic supporter as he walked into a night of celebrations with his English friends.
    One Benfica fan dressed as Saint Nicholas, patron saint of Amsterdam, had only silence and tears to express his disappointment.
    Benfica ended up losing a match they could have easily won if they had taken their chances when they dominated the first half.
    "Football can be unfair. The best team did not win tonight and it is all to do with the ball. It was the ball that scored one more goal tonight and won it," said a resigned Benfica fan.
    Fans of the Lisbon club lamented they let the chance to end a run of six straight defeats in European finals escape them.
    "It was bad for us yes because we expected another result, but we didn't have a chance," said another disappointed Benfica fan.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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