The game goes on...

This Sunday, Ukraine’s football connoisseurs had their attention drawn to the French city of Lille, in which our national team played with the Germans in their first game of Euro 2016. However, Lille could hardly be called a French city that day – everything, from the fan zone to museums, hotels, and restaurants, was covered with national flags of Ukraine and Germany. In an atmosphere of real football festival, the fans were genuinely friendly to each other: they photographed together, talked and sang national anthems of both countries. Many Turks, Swedes, Poles, English, Albanian, Portuguese, and Irish were also enjoying their day...

A pleasant surprise for all the fans came with the support of Ukrainian singer Jamala, who arrived to Lille in the match day and spent some time talking to everyone in the official fan zone. “I believe in our team and its success at Euro 2016,” she tirelessly repeated. “It will be difficult to win, because the beautiful Jamala plays for you,” the Germans joked.

Comparing the Lille fan zone with the ones in Ukrainian cities during the past Euro 2012 is difficult, because the area is distributed more efficiently this time. Like the last time, the place for fans was allocated in the center, near the bus and train station, near a subway station and major hotels. But the fan sector is relatively small, with only one projector to broadcast matches, and there is a constant queue near the entrance. To come in, one must undergo three inspections by the guards. The list of prohibited items has two dozen entries. Overall, the safety standards are unprecedented – and it is the main feature of the French championship. Almost every hotel or pub is watched by local police or military guard. Several thousand police officers ensure order at the stadium. During the match day, a helicopter circled over the city, and in some areas special vehicles were spotted. By the way, no personal items were allowed to the stadium except for a wallet and a phone.

“It was going to rain, so I and my wife took umbrellas. We dumped both of them at the entrance to the stadium,” Mykola from Sumy is bitter. “Of course, security is very important nowadays, but fans were forbidden to carry books, notebooks, tablets, cameras, and camcorders. It is not quite normal.” There was a baggage room to store personal items not allowed to the stadium – one had to spend at least an hour in queue to leave their possessions there.

“Go Ukraine!” our fans were shouting in the subway – the most convenient transportation that can get you out of the city to the stadium. “The German machine will win!” retorted the Germans.

The incredible emotions and fierce support to Ukrainian team were present in an hour before the game, when our lads came out on the pitch to warm up. The players were led by Andrii Shevchenko; when the fans began shouting loudly in his support – “She-va! She-va!” – he thanked and pointed at the team. It was not him to be welcomed and supported this time.

Despite the defeat after a spectacular game, Ukrainian fans in the sectors remained optimistic and loudly shouted “Well done!” to our players, “Piatov is a hero,” “We’ll keep supporting!”

“You have a very good team, a strong game in the middle and I will say it openly that you deserved a draw,” said Hans, a fan from Germany, immediately after the match ended. “Germany has simply got more luck today. And Ukraine should go to the playoffs.”

The Germans have celebrated the victory almost all night long. The restaurants and pubs of the city were full to capacity. Most of the Ukrainians went to hotel in order to rest and renew the vigor before the next match in Lyon, where the team will meet Northern Ireland on June 16.