Cala a Boca, Junior

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!!!!!!!!!!!!

Football in Brazil..What is Your Team?

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me what my team was, I would be up there with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.
Being a fan for a certain team is a decision that will rule your life. Once chosen, one cannot change teams, as that would be akin to treachery and treason. I find this tribal obsession of being a fan of a certain team quite amuzing. For my children, they suffer from a dilemma. Their father is a fan of the Fluminense team (as the club is based out of the neighborhood where their father grew up)and their grandfather is a Flamengo fan. I, on the other hand, could care less. For me,in the moment that there are two teams on the field, I will chose who to cheer for at the opening whistle (usually based on how fab their uniforms look). I just like to watch a good game being played.
Brazil is due to play against Canada in a friendly match....now I am in a dilemma....