20 May 2012
Slovenia, Prva Liga
Maribor 1 Luka Koper 1 (att 9,000)
The final round of matches in Slovenia's top division, and it was party time for Maribor who had won the league by a mile and were being presented with the trophy after the game. Luka Koper began the game in third, and needed a win to guarantee European football for next season.
They were denied by an 89th minute equaliser for the home side, after an engrossing game amid a lively atmosphere. So lively, in fact, that the referee had to take the players off the pitch for a few minutes just before the end, following a pitch invasion by home fans who thought the final whistle had gone.
The noisy home fans had been silenced, albeit only briefly, by Luka Koper’s first half goal. It had come against the run of play, and it always seemed unlikely that they would hold out for the rest of the game.
I liked Maribor's stadium. The main stand, with its distinctive curved roof, has been complemented in recent years by similar structures around the rest of the stadium, and the arena is just a short walk from the centre of what is a very pleasant town.
Despite the higher than usual crowd, there was no problem buying a ticket, just 10eu for a seat in the main stand, from the ticket office ahead of the game. The away end was empty, and I couldn't see or hear any celebrations, off the pitch, when the visitors scored their goal.
After the game, and once a second celebratory pitch invasion, has been cleared, Maribor's players were presented with the league trophy on a balcony, at the back of the stand, overlooking their fans who'd gathered below.
I planned to hang around to watch, but it dragged into a drawn out affair, and when an ageing crooner took to balcony to sing to the crowd I decided catching my train for the two hour journey back to Ljubljana was more important.
Slovenia, Prva Liga
Maribor 1 Luka Koper 1 (att 9,000)
The final round of matches in Slovenia's top division, and it was party time for Maribor who had won the league by a mile and were being presented with the trophy after the game. Luka Koper began the game in third, and needed a win to guarantee European football for next season.
They were denied by an 89th minute equaliser for the home side, after an engrossing game amid a lively atmosphere. So lively, in fact, that the referee had to take the players off the pitch for a few minutes just before the end, following a pitch invasion by home fans who thought the final whistle had gone.
The noisy home fans had been silenced, albeit only briefly, by Luka Koper’s first half goal. It had come against the run of play, and it always seemed unlikely that they would hold out for the rest of the game.
I liked Maribor's stadium. The main stand, with its distinctive curved roof, has been complemented in recent years by similar structures around the rest of the stadium, and the arena is just a short walk from the centre of what is a very pleasant town.
Despite the higher than usual crowd, there was no problem buying a ticket, just 10eu for a seat in the main stand, from the ticket office ahead of the game. The away end was empty, and I couldn't see or hear any celebrations, off the pitch, when the visitors scored their goal.
After the game, and once a second celebratory pitch invasion, has been cleared, Maribor's players were presented with the league trophy on a balcony, at the back of the stand, overlooking their fans who'd gathered below.
I planned to hang around to watch, but it dragged into a drawn out affair, and when an ageing crooner took to balcony to sing to the crowd I decided catching my train for the two hour journey back to Ljubljana was more important.
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