Former Dundee United goalkeeper Dykstra admits 29-year-old call to prayer mix-up

Trabzonspor's upcoming UEFA Conference League home match against Hearts has revived a memory from 1997 in the Scottish press. Alan Pattullo of The Scotsman spoke to Sieb Dykstra, then the Dundee United goalkeeper, while recounting the UEFA Cup second qualifying round match played in Trabzon on 12 August 1997.

Early in the second half, Dykstra was bothered by a sound rising from behind him and thought it was a broadcast played over the loudspeaker to put him under psychological pressure. He went to German referee Helmut Krug and complained. Soon afterwards he learned that the sound was the call to prayer coming from the mosque near the stadium, and he apologised.

The former Dutch goalkeeper said he now remembers the moment with a smile. Dykstra said he had assumed the sound came from a large sound system set up by the fans, and added that had he known from the start that it was the call to prayer, he would not have gone to the referee.

Trabzonspor won the first leg 1-0 with a penalty from Hami Mandıralı in the 78th minute. In the return match in Scotland, Andy McLaren put Dundee United ahead in the 55th minute, and Hami Mandıralı levelled the score at 1-1 in the 80th minute. Trabzonspor went through 2-1 on aggregate.

Pattullo also noted that at the time, UEFA officials were concerned about whether the match could be played because of construction work at the Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium. The match was still played as scheduled. The Scottish journalist also pointed out the difference between the stadium of that day and today's Papara Park.