Football - Saprissa Monsters

Saturday night was capped off with a Trip to Tevas Stadium to see the best soccer team in the Costa Rican league – the Saprissa Monsters…wax some lowly foe. Freddy and Chappy picked me up around 630 and we hightailed it to the stadium (we were late)…parked as fast as possible and ran to the ticket counter as the National Anthem was being played…the ticket counter was ridiculously packed (at least 1000 peeps waiting in a huge throng)…so we kept our eyes peeled for a scalper and snagged 3 tix within 5 minutes…but we had to pay double (4 mill instead of 2…about $9). Tix in hand we started running again, first to the gate, then up all the ramps to the top section of the stadium – where we piled into bleacher seating (still good seats close to the action) about 5 minutes into the first half. Both teams went scoreless in the first 45, even though Saprissa dominated the action…and just like at US sporting events – during halftime the closed circuit TV cameras panned the crowd for hotties to put up on the jumbotron :o). The second half started and the Monsters were not gonna lose, especially at home…when they scored the first goal off a corner kick the place erupted and “la Ultra” (which is the insane section of rabid fans who sit directly behind one of the goals, everyone in jerseys, with huge flags waving, banners stringing from the front to the back, a huge bass drum inciting the fanatics into their chants and songs) stormed down towards the front of the field (crushing some people I’m sure) and hundreds of fans climbed a 25 foot high fence and began shaking it, as the rest piled into each other at it’s base…just a crazy spectacle to watch…which I would have the pleasure of doing once more that night…as Saprissa ended up winning 2-0, but not without some outstanding saves from their keeper – who is the Goalie of the Costa Rican National Team. As the stadium was emptying out we entered the crush of the crowd, and nearly got squished as the ramp ways funneled the huge mass into a small snaking line winding down to the ground. We got down to ground level and got a pick of me and chappy and freddy with the field in the background. No problems getting home, and I ended up reading for the remainder of the night...good day all around.