While I want the US to win, I was incredibly excited at the chance to see Japan, the previous World Cup champs, play. In particular, I was itching to see the footwork by the Japanese legend, Homare Sawa. I was expecting a straightforward game where Japan would dominate the play of the ball while running the Swiss team around in circles chasing them. I was also expecting to have decent but not great seats. I got a stadium half pass 9 months ago that was on the cheaper side of the options. I wasn’t sure where I’d be or what I would be doing but I just knew I wanted to be there. I didn’t care if it was in a nosebleed section or if I was sitting by their bench. Imagine my surprise when I show my tickets to one of the stadium workers and he chuckles saying “Well, you’ll have one hell of a view”. I was in the second row. Not the second row of a section but THE second row right behind the goal. Sawa walked feet away from me – I almost fell out of my chair each time. Pictures won’t even do this justice but they’ll have to try:
Just so you can see what it was like to actually sit where I was during the play, I took a quick video of a corner kick.
The play was intense and rapid. I would describe the game as a very intense chess match between two teams that never let up. A PK would be the only difference as Japan squeezed away a win in a similar fashion to Canada’s first game.
I can’t wait for the next.
agm 