Boca Juniors 2 - Independiente 0

As they say, the scoreline just doesn´t reflect what actually happened at the match.

I persuaded seven other guys on our tour that it would be a great idea to go to the Bombonera Stadium to see Boca (third in the table) play Independiente (second) in the second last match of the season. We got tickets through a guy we met in a hostal, and he, us, and about 15 others went by bus out to the match.

We got there about two hours before kick off. The terraces at both ends were already pretty full, the fans not quite in full song, but still pretty boisterous. I glanced aroud the stadium to see where the away fans were, but all that greeted me was a sea of blue and yellow. Until I looked up above us. And there they were.

I guess someone, somewhere, thought it would be a great idea to situate the away fans right above the hardcore Boca supporters. It isn´t. While it does give them a great view of the match, it also allows them to pour water, water bombs, spit, urine (occasionally) and other stuff right onto our heads. However, the Boca fans didn´t seem to mind, so I thought why should I?

The stadium was packed at kick off, and wow, what an atmosphere. The chants from Boca were tuneful, with a kicking beat, easy to pick up, and the whole stadium reverberated to them. Maradonna was there to cheer his old club on, and so the match began.

The footy was a bit crap really; just about English Championship level (that´s Division 2 for old skool types). Not much happened in the first half, though Boca just about shaded it. Half time came around, and then the Independiente fans got a bit more imaginative and started chucking glass and bits of tile down on us. We all quickly got inside to a safe bit, and the police swiftly and firmly went in to arrest the trouble makers. Oh no, actually they didn´t. They looked on with what looked like paternalistic approval, which was a bit wierd. Finally they did close off the area where the stuff was being chucked from, but fair to say the Boca fans were not best pleased with the cops.

Second half pretty much followed the pattern of the first; a few good moments but mostly poor defence and ping pong midfield action. Then somehow Boca managed to fluke a goal after a goalmouth scramble. And the stadium went mad. The whole of it. Including the corporate boxes.

The rest of the match saw a sustained level of enthusiasm from the crowd, topped with a last minute goal to Boca. The photo above was taken about half an hour after the final whistle, and there was about another half hour of singing as well after that.

Memorable, definitely. Never, ever, experienced an atmosphere like it, and although it sounds a bit dodgy, I never really felt in danger. Bit different to AFC I can tell you.

Leaving Buenos Aires tonight to head north to a wetland nature reserve, with caymen and loads of mossies I hear. Should be good.