Sunday Soccer Highlights

The church service was held at the potluck last night, so there was no church this morning.  That meant a good opportunity to sleep in, which of course we did.  After getting up, Jordan and I walked to the store and picked up some cunape and empanadas for lunch and then we killed the afternoon doing school work and reading books.

Ken and the boys picked us up at 4:00 to get to the big soccer game between Oriente Petrolero and Sport Boys that started at 5.  There were 12 of us going in total, and we had bought tickets just far enough away from the Oriente club section to be safe, but just close enough to be a part of the party as well.  Oriente was in second place at the start of the game with only 2 games left in the season, and the 1st place team was playing at the same time so lots of people had radios with them to listen to the other game during the one we were at.  I have no idea how they could hear the radio over the constant singing, drumming and fireworks in the stadium.

The first half was all Oriente and ended 2 to 0, but it could have been 4 or 5 if the Sport Boys goalie had not played so well.  Every goal brought a shower of cut up paper, fireworks, loud yelling and the lighting of a few small fires for dramatic effect.  In the second half, Oriente scored again to complete the 3 to 0 victory.  Close to the end of the game, the entire stadium erupted in the loudest roar of the day when the radio announced the 1st place team had lost 1 to 0, putting Oriente into first place with one game left in the season.

At the end of the game, the boys surrounded us and got us out of there quickly explaining that we needed to get out before the "Club Hooligans" from either side made their way out of the stadium.  We did as we were told and made our way to meet Ken for a chicken supper.  All in all, a good evening.