40 years ago this day "Ararat" celebrated historical triumph

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, ARMENPRESS. 40 years ago this very day the history of the Armenian nation was enriched with a new heroic page, which was authored by the football players of Yerevan's "Ararat" FC. The Armenian fans are still enthusiastic about this historical victory. Armenian finswimmer, 11-time World Record holder, 17-time World Champion, 13-time European Champion and 7-time USSR Champion, who also saved 20 lives when a trolleybus fell into the Yerevan reservoir, Shavarsh Karapetyan has fresh memories about Ararat’s success, as if it happened yesterday. Shavarsh Karapetyan underscored: "The whole Armenian nation was proud of that victory. That was a historical triumph for the Armenian sport. We all were proud that we have such a team and such excellent players. I knew them all and we still keep in touch with each other. I want to congratulate them all and kiss them. There was a widespread phrase circulating after Ishtoyan scored the second goal: 'Marx, Lenin, Ishtoyan!'"

The match against Dynamo Kiev played in the Luzhniki Stadium on October 10, 1973, ended 2-1 to Ararat that later that month also won the championship trophy becoming a "double" winning team.

The winning Ararat team included: coach Nikita Simonyan, goalkeeper Alyosha Abrahamyan, defenders Alexander Kovalenko, Norayr Mesropyan, Armen Sargsyan, Sanasar Gevorgyan, Suren Martirosyan, Arkady Harutyunyan, midfielders Arkady Andreasyan, Sergey Bondarenko, Hovhannes Zanazanyan, Sergey Poghosyan, forwards Eduard Markarov, Levon Ishtoyan, Nikolay Ghazaryan, Nazar Petrosyan.

The more we study the details regarding the triumphs of "Ararat 73", the more new and interesting facts and events come forth, which are unknown for the contemporary footballers. "Armenpress" News Agency was the first to open that "golden page" in the history book of the Armenian sport. Both the heroes and witnesses of the heroic triumph of "Ararat 73" told new details about the club's achievements. The project was dedicated to the team’s chief manager Nikita Simonyan, legendary captain of the teamHovhannes Zanazanyan, Arkadi Andreasyan, Levon Ishtoyan, and almost all the members of the legendary team.

Article by Varvara Hayrapetyan