To finalize my series on football/soccer in Brazil, I must relate the game that filled Maracana with over 80 thousand spectators.
Last night was the semi final of the Libertadors Cup. The winner of the Libertadors Cup will go to Tokyo ,Japan in December to play the winner of the UEFA Cup (Manchester United, no need for introductions) and the winners of the Asian Cup and the African Cup in a sudden death final to be World Club Champions.
Fluminense had tied with Boca Juniors(the team that revealed Maradona to the world)in Buenos Aires 1-1. They needed to win at home at Maracana Stadium to go on to the finals against a team from Ecuador.
I started to watch the game when my 11 year 'tri-color'came into my bedroom at some ungodly hour and put the TV on. It was already in the second half, and Fluminense had just tied the game 1 -1 with an amazing free kick by Washington(Note: In Brazil there are more Washingtons and Hamiltons than there are in the foresaid cities of the same name...but I digress)
The game was very fast and furious. Flu was getting the ball downfield past the Boca defence, usually on a counter attack. Conca from Flu went down the left flank and shot towards the goal...it was deflected off the Boca defender and direct into the goal..2-1. MAracana simply went insane....
Boca was relentless and had various corner kicks that were saved by the Flu goal keeper Fernando Henrique. Dodo from Flu sent the last goal into the net with barely two minutes left to play.
As I have said on my older posts, the Red Mile in Calgary has NOTHING on Brazilian soccer fans...
I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!
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