- guardian.co.uk, Thursday May 18 2000 23.42 BST
Gheorge Popescu clinched the Uefa Cup for Galatasaray when he struck the decisive spot-kick in a penalty shoot-out after the sides had been deadlocked for 120 minutes here last night.
After an entertaining second-half, extra-time proved an anticlimax despite the dismissal of Gheorghe Hagi for striking Tony Adams in the back.
In many respects Arsenal could consider themselves fortunate to survive. Either side of half-time Galatasaray had gone close, once hitting the post.
Sadly, the build-up to the match had been dominated by the outbreaks of violence in the city centre. The stabbing of an Arsenal fan in the early hours of yesterday morning was followed by further running battles and three stabbings on the afternoon of the game.
If the incidents were hardly surprising given the baggage carried over from Galatasaray's semi-finals against Leeds, it was notable that the mood for the most part had been peaceful, if noisy. Shortly before the second bout of trouble, rival fans were seen chatting, shaking hands or posing for photographs side by side.
Bottles were flying outside the stadium shortly before the start, but inside the atmosphere was relatively calm. Those who had come early enough were treated to a troup of Turkish dancers performing on the pitch. The Galatasaray fans, waving red and yellow balloons and scores of flags, were getting through some dancing of their own in the seats behind one goal.
Arsenal made a surprisingly nervous start. Inside three minutes their captain Tony Adams, one of three survivors from the George Graham team who won the Cup Winners' Cup here in 1994, uncharacteristically misjudged a header to allow Erdem Arif a shot which was deflected wide.
But without managing much in the way of flowing football or territorial domination in the early stages, Arsenal showed that they were always likely to prosper with their pace on the counter-attack.
First Thierry Henry and then Marc Overmars burst into promising positions without delivering a killer pass. And when an Overmars corner was flicked back by Patrick Vieira, providing a rare sight of goal, Henry shot too high.
It was, though, far from one-way traffic. With Vieira and Emmanuel Petit struggling to gain initial control of the midfield, Galatasaray enjoyed plenty of possession. As expected, Gheorghe Hagi drifted around to menacing effect, flicking passes and surging past opponents as if they barely existed.
Arif forced David Seaman to tip over from long range, and Hakan Sukur could never be disregarded, but Galatasaray were generally kept at arm's length. Perhaps more worrying for Arsenal was the tendency of certain opponents to tumble to the floor at the slightest touch. By half-time Martin Keown and Vieira had been booked.
Before the interval Overmars had Claudio Taffarel plunging at his near post to save a powerful low shot but the best opportunity fell to Galatasaray. When Hagi, Hakan Sukur and Davala Umit combined to set up Arif, the striker seemed certain to score. But unmarked and less than 10 yards out he screwed his shot beyond the far post as Arsenal looked in vain for offside.
Despite that escape, Arsenal did not seem to have learned their lesson. Only 47 minutes had gone when Galatasaray unhinged them once more. Hagi was the architect, releasing Hakan Sukur and the tall striker, who had got between his markers as he threatened all night, beat Seaman only to see his shot rebound off a post.
Henry at last managed a surge down the left side and along the byline before crossing. But Martin Keown, stretching at the far post, shot over.
Far from sparking a period of sustained Arsenal pressure that proved the signal for Galatasaray to threaten anew. A dangerous Hagi cross was sliced by Keown, and with the Turkish side harrying relentlessly, Arsenal were given little opportunity to find any time or rythmn. Too many passes were misplaced and Dennis Bergkamp was almost anonymous.
There was hope for Arsenal's subdued supporters when Henry beat Korkmaz Bulent only to shoot wide and Ray Parlour volleyed wide from an Overmars pass. But between times Arif had called Seaman into action and the goalkeeper had to deny Capone as well as the game opened up.
Galatasaray (4-3-1-2): Taffarel; Capone, Popescu, Bulent, Ergun; Okan (Hakan Unsal, 84min), Suat (Ahmet, 95), Umit; Hagi; Hakan Sukur, Arif (Hasan, 95).
Arsenal (4-4-2): Seaman; Dixon, Keown, Adams, Silvinho; Parlour, Vieira, Petit, Overmars (Suker, 115); Henry, Bergkamp (Kanu, 75). Referee: L Nieto (Spain).
