We finally got to go see the local futbol team, Deportivo Cali, at the big stadium in the middle of town, Pascual Guerrero Stadium.
The drama was that the League plays 18 games and this was Week 15. The top 8 teams get to classify for the tournament at the end of the year. Deportivo Cali after a struggling season and a series of losses was in 7th place. They had to win at least one more game to make it on to the tournament. They faced perennial rivals the Milionarios de Bogota, who were in 9th place who had to win to make the tournament. It was a beautiful night and a big game.
We had decided to go but at the last minute texted with our landlord who it turned out was also going, along with our neighbor. They came by to give us a ride and we didn’t know until it happened, but through connections (“palanca”) drove us right through the army, police, riot police, and barriers to park right in the stadium, and we to got to go in through the same door the players use from the bus to the locker rooms.
And after arriving in stye, the game was awesome. Tied, then the other team went ahead then tied again, then an amazing goal got called back, then tied from behind again late in the game, and a go-ahead goal with only a few minutes left. The amazing striker Miguel Morillo had 3 goals, and the team captain Andres Perez had the winning goal. Cali won 4-3. Amazing, on the front page of the paper and everyone talking about it for days. ( watch all the goals here )
As visitors from another land the thing that impressed us was the singing and dancing of the Hincha, the fans, who take up the whole southern end of the stadium. Singing and dancing for over 2 hours, it was fun to watch from a distance, but is reportedly dangerous be any closer. There are fences and police that separate the hincha from the “normal public” at all times.
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