The primed athletes’ stand, hearts exploding with pride as they sing their national anthems. Mentally, they build themselves up a competitive fury, ready for battle, a fight to the death. It seems nothing can stand in their way, that is until mother nature intervenes.
This was the scene before the Mexico vs. El Salvador World Cup Qualifier on Saturday in the Azteca Stadium. The game started normally but as the play reached the Salvadorian goal mouth it was clear the goalkeeper and defenders were in distress.
At first many thought it was the laser pen that some idiot had brought to the game and was shining in the eyes of the visiting team but on closer inspection it was far more.
A swarm of bee’s had descended on the goalmouth and had decided to hang around despite the protestations of the capacity crowd.
At first no-one knew how to handle the visiting bee’s, choosing the usual ploy of racing in circles and swatting the air in blind panic. Various suited officials marched up the to bee’s, as if to scare the insects away but fled like big Jessie’s when then bee’s responded.
Finally, one smart guy got a fire extinguisher and blasted the visitors from there new home. A new swarm congregated on a TV companies microphone but the extinguisher had no effect. So in a act of inspired madness a bucket of water was poured on the insects and the electrical equipment.
It worked.
The swarm disappeared and the game continued with Mexico running out 4-1 winners and ensuring their World Cup qualification, the bee’s must have flew on to the nearest hive.
In aftermath there were rumblings of foul play, that the El Salvadorians had smeared the goalposts with sugar or honey in hope of abandonment but surely only the most ardent conspiracy theorist would suspect this.
In this game it was El Salvador who felt the sting..
Sunday, 11 October 2009
Sunday, 27 September 2009
San Luis Potosi vs Chiapas 27/09/2009
San Luis suffer another defeat at home against Chiapas
San Luis Potosi FC were routed 3-0 by Chiapas last night in front of a poor home crowd. Goals from Oribe Peralta (16) Danilinho (56) and Oribe Peralta (58) condemned the Gladiators to another defeat following the 4-2 humbling to Cruz Azul last week.
The result now leaves San Luis 3rd in Group 1 of the Mexican 1st Division having won 2, drawn 4 and lost 3 this season.
The rain and 8.45 night-time start must have dissuaded many supporters to attend this match as at kick-off the stadium was barely half full.
It was Chiapas who started the brighter forcing a few blocked shots after scrappy build up play. A scything tackle from Michael Orozco on 3 minutes brought the first yellow card of the match but the resulting free kick was headed wide by Oscar Razo Ventura.
Chiapas early endeavour eventually paid off in the 16th minute when Oribe Peralta was left unmarked in the box from a corner and he had ample time to place his shot high past San Luis goalkeeper Adrian Martinez.
The rest of the half was largely uneventful as both sides were culpable of miss-placed passes and bad communication in midfield. The game became scrappy with neither team deciding to take control.
Both sides squandered several chances with poor finishing before the referee blew for half time.
The 2nd half started at a slow pace with San Luis enjoying the best chances but their strikers lacked composure in front of goal and wasted several chances to equalise.
This seemed to reawaken Chiapas and one of several marauding runs from Oribe Peralta finally paid off. In the 56th minute a cross by Peralta at first was comically missed by Chiapas striker Josiel, however the San Luis defenders failed clear and gifted the ball to Danilinho who shot high past the keeper from inside the box.
The 3rd goal quickly followed in 58 minutes again the result of suicidal defending and Martinez indecision. A poor clearance was gathered by Oribe Peralta who had time to dummy the defender and round the keeper then finish low into goal ending the match as a contest.
San Luis tried to rally but good build and neat one-two exchanges led only to ballooned shots and smart saves from Chiapas keeper Oscar Perez. Even when a Perez parry fell to striker Alfredo Moreno he missed front 5 yards.
The final whistle was met with howls of derision from the few San Luis fans who stayed to the bitter end and the San Luis walked off to a humiliating defeat to bottom place Chiapas.
San Luis Potosi now face a tough trip to in form Toluca on Sunday while Chiapas shall pay at home against Pumas a day before.
Klitchsko vs Arreola
Vladimir Klitchsko retained his WBC heavyweight title last night with a professional and methodical destruction of Mexican/American challenger Chris Arreola .
Arreola, who was attempting to be the first ever Mexican heavyweight champion could not cope with the superior weight, height and reach advantage of Klitchsko and suffered an almost whitewash of rounds.
Although not being knocked to the canvas the defeat was complete and he had taken terrible punishment before the judge stopped the Mexicans involvement going into the 11th round.
Klitchsko (38 W 2 L) , intelligently choose to fight in 2-3 jabs and hooks then would back around the ring off not being drawn into a close encounter brawl which would benefit the Mexican. His long arms peppered his opponents face and kept at bay any counters.
From the very first round Klitchsko tagged Arreola with combination flurries, retreat and return, occasionally laying precise hooks to the jaw which rocked the challenger.
Despite connecting with good shots in the 4rth and rallying in the 10th Arreola was picked off again and again by the champion leaving his face a bloody mess and it was clear that defeat was inevitable and further punishment would unnecessarily cruel and dangerous.
The previously undefeated Arreola was in gracious defeat
"I worked my butt off to be the champion but Vitali's strong, he hits hard and I never wanted to quit. That's never in me, I wanted to go the full 12 rounds,"
"I couldn't get to him, he was fighting the fight he was supposed to fight. He ran when he was supposed to and I just couldn't get to him.
"Whatever I did he found a way to counteract that. He found a way to win and I found a way to lose."
Arreola, who was attempting to be the first ever Mexican heavyweight champion could not cope with the superior weight, height and reach advantage of Klitchsko and suffered an almost whitewash of rounds.
Although not being knocked to the canvas the defeat was complete and he had taken terrible punishment before the judge stopped the Mexicans involvement going into the 11th round.
Klitchsko (38 W 2 L) , intelligently choose to fight in 2-3 jabs and hooks then would back around the ring off not being drawn into a close encounter brawl which would benefit the Mexican. His long arms peppered his opponents face and kept at bay any counters.
From the very first round Klitchsko tagged Arreola with combination flurries, retreat and return, occasionally laying precise hooks to the jaw which rocked the challenger.
Despite connecting with good shots in the 4rth and rallying in the 10th Arreola was picked off again and again by the champion leaving his face a bloody mess and it was clear that defeat was inevitable and further punishment would unnecessarily cruel and dangerous.
The previously undefeated Arreola was in gracious defeat
"I worked my butt off to be the champion but Vitali's strong, he hits hard and I never wanted to quit. That's never in me, I wanted to go the full 12 rounds,"
"I couldn't get to him, he was fighting the fight he was supposed to fight. He ran when he was supposed to and I just couldn't get to him.
"Whatever I did he found a way to counteract that. He found a way to win and I found a way to lose."
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