Gooooooooool!

We couldn't go to Argentina without going to a soccer game. We might have been able to go to a game of one of the "big" teams — River Plate or Boca Juniors — but we chose instead to go to a game in Mendoza, Godoy Cruz v. San Lorenzo. Alas, San Lorenzo, the visitors from Buenos Aires, won, 2-0, against the Godoy Cruz home team. Nevertheless, the evening was fun and the spectacle was — well, spectacular.

A couple of things stood out. One was that the cost of our tickets was 100 pesos for the men and 50 pesos for the women.

Another was security. Everyone was subject to a police pat-down as they entered. Police were everywhere — and very visible — inside and outside the stadium. Whether because of or in spite of the heavy police presence, the crowd was well-behaved in their exuberance and enthusiasm.

We were sitting in the stands under cover, avoiding the end zone — the curva — where the more rabid fans congregate.

Apparently the security check does not exclude fireworks and smoke, which greeted the home team.

The coolest thing was the giant banner that the fans unfurled. It was spread out with clockwork precision from the top of the curve to the bottom. Then it was rolled up to the top for use at the next game.

Once again, thanks to Scott Hogman for the great photos.

Mike did not want to select a shirt for a particular team so bought a shirt for the Argentina national team.