12 March 2009 - The Ukraine Is Not Weak!

On 12 March 2009, Dynamo Kyiv and Metalist Kharkiv became the first Ukranian sides to meet in a UEFA competition. Their historic meeting came in the Round of 16 of that season's UEFA Cup.

One of the most successful clubs in Ukraine, Kyiv entered the competition with an established European pedigree, having previously participated in numerous Champions League/European Cup and UEFA Cup matches, as well as winning the 1975 and 1986 UEFA Cup Winners' Cups and the 1975 UEFA Super Cup. They had qualified for the 2008-09 Champions League, but their third-place finish in that competition's group stage sent them into the UEFA Cup Round of 32. There, they advanced over Valencia on away goals to set up the meeting with Metalist in the Round of 16.

Metalist, on the other hand, was a relative novice. The 2008-09 UEFA Cup was only their second time in European competition, with the first being the previous season's UEFA Cup (where they were eliminated in the first round by Everton). They got off to a much stronger start in 2009-10, opening their campaign with a 4-2 aggregate win over Besitkas to advance to the group stage. There, they finished at the top of their group, over more experienced European sides Galatasaray, Olympiacos, Hertha Berlin, and Benfica, then rolled over Sampdoria 3-0 in the Round of 32.

The Round of 16 match-up was held in Kiev, where the home side staked their claim with a 1-0 win thanks to a 54th-minute header from midfielder Ognjen Vukojevic (pictured). Metalist battled back to win the second leg 3-2, but Kyiv again advanced thanks to their two away goals.

Kyiv advanced all the way to the semifinals where they ran into yet another Ukrainian side, Shakhtar Donetsk who beat Kyiv 3-2 on aggregate and went on to win the title with a 2-1 win over Werder Bremen.

5 March 2004 - Yes, It's Redundant To Say "The" La Manga Cup

On 5 March 2004, the MetroStars became the first MLS side to win silverware outside the US, defeating Norwegian club Viking 1-0 in the La Manga Cup Final.

Held at La Manga Club resort in Murcia, Spain, the La Manga Cup started in 1999 as a winter tournament for clubs in summer leagues, primarily from the Scandanavian countries of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. Teams from Austria, Russia, and the Ukraine were included in subsequent years. US clubs first participated in 2003, when the San Jose Earthquakes and the Los Angeles Galaxy took part, with the Galaxy earning third-place honors. The Earthquakes returned for the 2004 tournament, along with the Dallas Burn and the MetroStars.

The MetroStars started their tournament run with a 1-0 loss to Viking, but beat remaining group member FK Bødo/Glimt to advance to the semifinals. There, they defeated Dynamo Kyiv 3-2, while Viking ensured a rematch in the Final by beating San Jose on penalties, 1-1 (5-3).

In the Final, the MetroStars took the lead in the 27th minute with a goal from rookie defender Jeff Parke (shown above right, in a match against FC Dallas). The US side had earned a corner kick that was delivered by midfielder Amado Guevara and Parke rose at the far post to head it home past Viking keeper Frode Olsen. The MetroStars continued to apply pressure to the Norwegian side, narrowly missing with a strike in the 33rd minute, and held the Viking attack in check to claim the win.

In recent years, the La Manga Cup has helped propel clubs onto greater glory. Rubin Kazan won the Cup in 2005 and 2006 before claiming their first Russian Premier League titles in 2008 and 2009, while 2007 Cup-winners Shaktar Donetsk went on to win their first UEFA Cup trophy in 2009.