Crazy fans, 8,000 policemen and one huge soccer game were all part of my continuing adventure at Peru.com today!
Juan Francisco was kind enough to take me along with his family to the Clasico, the biggest soccer game in Peru.
We left hours early to try and beat the outrageous traffic, and driving to the 80,000 fans capacity stadium was an experience in itself.
We passed police tank after tank, and on-foot police in full body armor looked around nervously, aware of El Clasico's history of violence. Luckily, today was a different story and no major violence erupted, much to the relief of the thousands of policemen who had been gathered from all areas of Lima.
El Clasico is a game between Alianza Lima and Universitario, the two biggest soccer teams in Lima.
All of Peru watches the game, regardless if they have ever even been to Lima or not. Peruvians from outside of Lima support their local teams and also pick either Alianza or la "U" to support.
We sat up high, so we had a fantastic view of the field. From our seats, Juan Francisco explained to me the different seating sections of the stadium.
Straight ahead of us across the field was "occidental", a section for modest fans who enjoy to watch the game while sitting down for most of the time. Because we were at "Estadio Monumental" (Universitarios home stadium) most of these fans don the red and white for la "U".
To the left of them is "EL Sur" a section designated for crazy fans of the opposing team (Alianza) who spend the entire game chanting on their feet and sending fireworks and streamers in the air. Across from them is "El Norte" a similar fanatic section but for the home team's fans.
I was shocked by the entire atmosphere of the game. It made any large scale sport's event in the US look pathetic. All two hours of the game were filled with opposing team songs, jumping fans, confetti and banners. The fans are so passionate and will cure a player for the slightest mistake.
This is another experience that again I thought I would only get as close as to watching it on TV, but Juan Francisco's kindness has given me this awesome opportunity.
When we first arrived at our seats (the game had not even started) the fans were already cheering as if a goal had been scored. And when the players entered the field, the stadium erupted into cheers, noisemakers, flares, fireworks, confetti, streamers and much more! All of these contributing factors lead to a colorful fog that covered the field for a while so heavily that we could not see the field!
And in the US if confetti or a thunder stick were to make it's way onto the field the game would be paused, but in El Clasico players run right through these and are sometimes even tripped up by such objects.
Universitario won 2-1 in a thriller which had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
I am so grateful that I was able to witness such a spectacle that I would have never seen had I not adventure down to Peru.
Can't wait to go to San Bartolo tommorow!
Chau
No comments:
Post a Comment