Where in the world is Lani?

Tonight I went to the biggest football match around in Buenos Aires - the match between iconic Boca Juniors (Maradonna´s team) and neighbouring Independiente who have been in the headlines over here recently as their fans are so intense and violent that the team´s home ground has been closed by the policia due to excessive "hooliganism."

So I expected the worst (think the Barmy Army times 10) at the match, and booked a supervised tour instead of just going alone. We arrived at the ground really early, so I got to see the reserve grade game which was excellent. Boca whipped Indep. 5 - 1 so there was plenty of action between the 2 opposing teams.

On one end of the ground is the Boca "hill" where all the crazy fans sit. Well they dont sit. They stand, jump, yell abuse, wave massive flags, wave their team scarves & shirts, set off flares and also coloured smoke!!! The other end is the same, but fans of Indep.

Luckily, I sat in the middle "more comfortable and safe" area which is a little higher up with a better view and much less chance of getting my head kicked in or robbed by over-zealous fans.

They dont call these people fanatics for nothing!!!! It was like watching 2 life enemies have continuous arguments. Hands waving, too many expletives to mention, throwing flares on the field when the opposition takes a corner kick - we had it all! At some points there were more police than players on the field.

There is also a (sometimes good, mostly bad) practice that all the men in the stadium watching the match take their shirts off. Some people should have definitely kept them on...... but its all part of the culture here.

Anyway, the match was great - Boca won 3 - 1 in the end. Indep. was up 1 - 0 at half time (they also take 1/4 time drink breaks here because its so hot) but Boca came back with a vengeance and scored 2 goals within a minute just after half time. You should have seen the Indep. fans!!!!

The last play of the match was a free direct kick to Indep. which could have sealed a draw so all their players (including goalie) were up in the box ready to score. The kick was buffered away by the goalie and then a Boca player booted the ball up towards Boca´s scoring end as a last kick & it went in!!!!!! How exciting!

Boca also welcomed back a very famous Argentine player called Riquelme this match from injury, so when he went on late in the 2nd half - the Boca fans went mental and the Indep. fans went even more mental with insults!!!

What an experience - cant wait to go to a match in Brazil to compare!!!!

Type more soon

Lani