UEFA Cup

The UEFA Soccer Cup (Europa Meisterschaft) has been going on this month in Vienna and other Austrian and Swiss cities. I've heard that it's the third largest sporting event in the world--just behind the Olympics and the World Cup.

Generally, things are running smoothly, but around the evening, things get a bit crazy. I wandered over to the "Fan Zone" an hour or so before the game between Austria and Poland started. I didn't actually get into the Fan Zone, because there were so many people, but for this reason, I also didn't want to try to get in. I gawked at the soccer fans for a few minutes, took pictures, and made my way back to the comfort of my Wohnheim room to watch the game.

Me, in front of the Central College office, after Austria in Context class, ready to enter the Fan Zone...in cognito....

Not the Fan Zone...but one of the many cafes and bars showing the games

A moonwalkesque tent(?) in the Votivpark

Fans around Schottentor

gifts from football tourists

a soccer ball on the Burgtheater

Disappointed Geman fans near the University and Beethoven's house--Germany managed to lose to Croatia...somehow...

Croatian fans celebrating on the Uni's statue

Austrians warming up for the game with a few cheers in front of the Schottentor McDonald's

Fans of Austria and Poland...or perhaps just the colors red and white...in the U-Bahn station at Schottentor

Home at last!

An Italian dinner with Austrian colors

Austria ended up tying with Poland, which was actually better than I expected. Neither Austria or Switzerland qualified for the cup (but since they're hosting, they automatically get in), and Switzerland lost its second game and its chance of moving on earlier this week. But since Austria is also in the same group as Germany, which, as I stated earlier, lost in an upset to Croatia, there is a small chance that Austria could prevent Germany from moving on in the tournament, if they beat them on Monday. From what I could understand in the news, the last time Austria beat Germany in the the Euro Cup (or perhaps, in any match) was in 1987 in Cordoba. Some German companies are selling "Revenge for Cordoba" shirts. The chances are incredibly slim that Austria will get even one goal, especially since Germany is considered a strong contender for winning the cup, and Germany got a wake up call this week, but who knows...