BBC News | FOOTBALL | Penalty heartbreak for Arsenal (original) (raw)

Wednesday, 17 May, 2000, 23:01 GMT 00:01 UK

Penalty heartbreak for Arsenal

Galatasaray's Okan Buruk and Arsenal's Silvinho clash

Arsenal 0-0 Galatasaray
Galatasaray win 4-1 on penalties

Galatasaray have won the Uefa Cup final after beating Arsenal on penalties in a pulsating game of missed chances.

It is the first time a Turkish side has won the trophy, prompting wild celebrations on the streets of Istanbul.

Arsenal's Davor Suker and Patrick Vieira missed their penalties before former Tottenham defender Gheorghe Popescu hit the trophy winner for Galatasaray.

Galatasaray have now won an impressive treble this season, after claiming their 14th Turkish league title, as well as the Turkish Cup.

Turkish fans celebrating

The match went ahead despite three fans being stabbed in clashes in the capital's centre before the game.

The first Arsenal player to take a penalty was Davor Suker, who hit the inside of the post, to hand Galatasaray the advantage.

Ray Parlour scored from the Gunners' second to reduce the arrears to 2-1 before Patrick Vieira hit the underside of the crossbar with their third effort to leave them trailing 3-1.

That provided Popescu with the chance to score the decisive penalty and the defender made no mistake as Galatasaray triumphed 4-1 in the shoot-out.

Penalty defeats

It was a terrible treble of penalty shoot-out defeats in cup competitions for Arsenal this season.

Earlier this season, the Premiership runners-up went out of the FA Cup at Leicester and the Worthington Cup at Middlesbrough in penalty shoot-outs.

Ergun Pembe, Hakan Sukur, Umit Davala all gave David Seaman no chance with their spot-kicks before Popescu cracked home the final penalty.

It was ecstasy for Galatasaray, who had had midfield ace Gheorghe Hagi sent off early in extra time for punching Tony Adams.

Overmars and Capone fight for control

And Arsenal only had themselves to blame for missing chances in extra time, which had the golden goal ruling.

Thierry Henry had a number of superb shots saved by Brazilian 'keeper Claudio Taffarel.

Henry went close but his acute angle shot flew across the goalmouth.

Then Marc Overmars saw his shot go wide after brilliant work from Henry.

Powerful header

In the second half of extra time, Henry was denied the winner when Taffarel saved his powerful header.

Arsenal continued to dominate extra time but could not score the decisive goal.

Both Galatasaray and Arsenal had chances they should have scored during normal time.

Just before the break, Turkish midfielder Arif Erdem sprung the offside trap but dragged his shot wide when one-on-one with Arsenal 'keeper David Seaman.

Arif could hardly believe he had missed the easy target as he sank to his knees.

Then at the start of the second-half Arsenal's Martin Keown skied his shot over the bar from just five yards out.

But it was Galatasaray celebrating the end of an amazing and controversial season.

Teams:

Galatasaray: Taffarel, Penbe, Capone, Popescu, Bulent, K. Suat, Hagi, Davala, Okan, Erdem, Sukur. Subs: Inan, Akyel, Ahmet, Mehmet, Hasan, Hakan, Marcio.
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Silvinho, Keown, Adams, Vieira, Petit, Overmars, Parlour, Bergkamp, Henry. Subs: Lukic, Winterburn, Suker, Grimandi, Malz, Luzhny, Kanu. Referee: Antonio Nieto (Spain)

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