Brazil is... Brazil

Only 10 minutes into the Ivory Coast vs. Portugal game and already we have received beautiful futbol! Ronaldo takes a long shot which hits the post! What a game, back and forth with great passing and good scoring opportunities. Minute 21, number #20 should have been cautioned for his foul on Ronaldo… instead both players get cautioned for exchanging poetic words. I have to get ready to go watch Brazil so I’ll miss the rest of this game which will continue to be very intense and probably end in a tie.

OK we’re on our way with Adrian & Annebe (A&A) driving us. I don’t have a ticket, but I feel lucky. We finally found the media parking area, and we had to get out of the car so Kris can park it using his media credential… is good to know people. While Kris hassles with parking I just negotiated a good deal… Class 1 ticket at face value or maybe less – Yes!! There are thousands of Brazilians, dancing Samba, singing, taking pictures with everyone, and hardly any North Koreans.

After a quick security checkpoint, we find ourselves by the tunnel entrance. The policeman tells me I cannot go in to talk to the referees even when I say that I can put in a word for the Bafana Bafana. We walk around the stadium, soaking in the noise, smiles, funny disguises, colorful characters – lots of them, and taking a few pictures. A&A will be sitting behind the goal slightly to the left where Brazil attacks first and I got lucky with a seat six rows back right above the tunnel where the FIFA/Fair Play flags and players come out. This is so cool that I don’t even notice the cold, zero degrees (centigrade).

Brazil starts the show, passing the ball around like it was the easiest thing in the world to do… well it is for them! Robinho controls and dribbles through half the North Koreans and gently gives the ball to Kaka who is caught off guard by a defender. The rest of the first half Robinho runs more than he ever did before, especially with Manchester, helping Brazil totally overwhelm North Korea. But Brazil cannot score as the North Koreans back line has good timing on when to step in and block the many shots or take the ball away. Dunga is getting impatient as well as the thousands of Brazilians around me who are now chanting every known Brazilian voodoo song against him and when he goes into the tunnel, two beer (luckily plastic) bottles go flying in his direction. The second half starts with Brazil opening the game more and making quicker passes down the middle, left, right, well in every direction. This pays off in the 56 or so minute when Maicon puts the ball in the back of the net from an impossible angle… wow!!

Brazil continues to dominate with beautiful game and gets the second goal around the 70 minute. North Korea with great courage and skill from #9 Jong Tae Se get a goal in the last minutes… well worked and deserved. Brazil has nothing to worry about in making it to the next round but Portugal and Cote d’Ivoire do as North Korea is no easy win. We quickly got on our way and with Adrian’s good sense of direction we left all of the traffic behind us. We had a cup of tea to make the final game comments, settle down and get ready for bed. Good night from Joburg where Brazilians are celebrating all night long.