John S. Wolfe

Are South American pro soccer games as crazy as they seem on television?

That was a curiosity on my “bucket list.”

And the answer is, “Yes.” And then some.

Some classmates and I had the evening of Feb. 18 free and decided to catch the (South American region) Copa Libertadores game between host Alianza Lima (Club Lima Alliance) and Estudiantes of Buenes Aires, Argentina. Alianza is arguably the most popular team in the Peruvian First Division league and Estudiantes was the 2009 Copa Libertadores champion.

The game was played in one-deck, 35,000-seat Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, a 35-year-old stadium in the La Victoria District of Lima, Peru.

Here’s my account of the sights and sounds:

The eight of us had an “in” – a friend of a friend we had met who happened to be an Alianza fan. He offered to get us to the stadium and to the appropriate seats. (That’s important.)

The taxis dropped us off in a street next to a large wall about 45 minutes before the 7:30 p.m. game. Policemen stood at a gate, opening it periodically to let fans in. We entered and walked a few feet to a concrete “bunker” along the wall that was the ticket office. Gustavo took our money and bought tickets in what we learned is the “sedate” section. The tickets were about $35 each.

Gustavo was wearing his Alianza jersey. He looked at us Americans milling around and suggested we buy some Alianza jerseys to fit in. Good idea. I am now No. 9, a big fan of Claudio Velásquez (who happens to be playing in the Argentina league). It cost $8 from a street vendor.

We walked up a ramp, by a policeman, by a guard checking bags and then through the ticket-taker. Then we were in the stadium concourse, a narrow concrete tunnel. At one end was a glassed-in café for VIPs. We walked to the other end, past restrooms and a card table at which a woman was selling …. something to eat. Still not sure what it was.

We squeezed past some fans that were milling around at the top of the steps of the stadium and walked down 20 rows. Our seats faced the Argentine goal, as if we were on the 5-yard-line at an NFL game.

So what did we see?

First, you notice that there is a 10-foot-wide “moat” separating the stands from the soccer field. It’s not filled with water but it’s clear that there’s a drop of about 12 feet. There probably won’t be any fans trying to run onto the field.

Across the stadium and to our right are areas filling in with fans. They look like bleachers and have flags representing dozens of “fan clubs” based in that section.

Then you see the barbed-wire-topped chain-link fence separating us from the “end zone” seats.

You couldn’t buy a water or a Coke in the stadium. Instead, a vendor walked the stands with a red ade in a lidded cup. (It was actually OK.) The most popular snack was popcorn.

* * *

The atmosphere became electric minutes before the game.

First, about 20 Estudiantes fans and team managers were led by police from the “moat” to seats just in front of us, at field level. Based on catcalls, someone in the entourage determined that it might be better to be “above” the foes, instead of between them and the field. Police with plastic shields then led the group up the steps to the top of the stadium.

A TV crew then walked up and interviewed a few of us for the pregame show. Sufficed to say, we pledged our allegiance to Alianza, to cheers from those around us.

Then the singing started.

One “swarm” of fans at about the 50-yard-line on the other side of the stands began rhythmic chants, fan-club songs and cheers for the home team. Of course, the songs were in Spanish – and, according to my friends – the anti-Argentina ones called into question those players’ “heritage.”

Another swarm caused a commotion by entering the stands from the adjacent end zone and marching down to the fence against the field.

The fervor continued to rise, with each group trying to out-sing the other. Then one side would light some red flares and wave them. The other would create an open space within its throng, toss in a lit firecracker, watch it explode and then rush to fill the space. Really.

Now we knew why Gustavo bought us these seats.

* * *

The uproar continued through the opening whistle … and even after Estudiantes scored 14 seconds into the game! A long kick, some defensive confusion, the Argentine player gets the ball, he moves around the goalie and it’s 1-0. (The links are short videos taken on a Blackberry.)

Ugh!

But the chanting continued!

Then Alianza took control. They scored one goal, then another.

The fans continued to go crazy. After the goals fans rushed and climb the fence against the moat.

Yes, objects were thrown at the opposing team. On Estudiantes’ corner kicks, three policemen with plastic shields would protect the player as he prepared to kick the ball.

The third goal seemingly put the game away. The fourth, late in the second half, sealed it.

With five minutes to go, Gustavo scooted us out of the stadium. He had a friend’s taxis waiting and we were off. Just before the tear gas (just kidding).