Football South America style

Our family are self confessed football fanatics and suggested we go to Quito on Wednesday night to watch the Manchester United of Ecuador ( La Liga) play the Arsenal of Uraguay in the South American equivalent of the Champions league.

So Kate and I, the 2 boys, Marco and a couple of cousins dived into the chevrolet for a 2hour drive to Quito to see the game. (By the way our host dad Marco drives like a complete maniac), which is normal here, and enjoys doing so to disco hits of the seventies.

We arrived at the game, downed quite a few cervezas, and then began singing a few of the local club songs. It was indeed a match to remember. The team from Uraguay went ahead early which prompted most of the 25000 crowd to chant "hijo de punta" (son of a bitch)at the top of their voices. (not very catholic of them).

But then La Liga got a penalty and it felt like the berlin wall was torn down. Fireworks were let off in the crowd and all that pent up catholic sexual energy let off in a frenzy of dance song, blasphemy and love. The striker lined up the kick, but alas the keeper saved it... you could have head a virgin doll drop, but then the referee overruled saying the keeper moved to early and the party began all over. The striker lined up for his second try.... goaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll.... celebrations, hugs, kisses.... but alas the refereee overruled again saying one of the La Liga players moved too early. Third time lucky.... he lines up and shoots.... but the keeper saves it and the tears start to flow... looks like La Liga will be eliminated ... but out of the blue, Miguel the mullet head somehow finds the net and its new years eve all over again..... I'm still trying to get the pink cola out of my hair. The final result was 1-1 enough to see La Liga into the final 8. The rest of the match was uneventful except for half the stadium burning down due to an off target firework.

Nxt week they play Riverplate, the Argentinian champions and I'm off to buy my La liga supporters apparel... when in Ecuador.....