Election time in Brazil and you can’t move for pictures of the candidates and people giving out leaflets.
There is a considerable amount of noise, flag waving and fireworks.
Much like the football really.
After an initial overnight stay in Rio I took a flight to Belo Horizonte and then a bus to Sete Lagoas (seven lakes) for Cruzeiros’ match against Guarani.
Cruzeiro 4 Guarani 2.
It was being played in Sete Lagoas, at the Arena do Jacare on the edge of town, because the stadium in Belo Horizonte is being updated for the World Cup.
The ground is of medium size with mostly open seating and, being fairly recently built, without a track.
It made for a good atmosphere.
And the game itself was an excellent, hectic encounter.
Three players stood out - speedy full backs Romulo (Cruzeiro) and Apodi (Guarani) plus Argentinian midfielder Montilla for Cruziero.
Cruzeiro went two nil ahead and then Guarani had a man sent off just before half time.
Although the away side fought back to make it 2-2 Cruzeiro forged ahead in the last fifteen minutes to send the 15,000 fans home to Belo Horizonte, happy.
Also a mention for the mascots, dressed as foxes, one very small, one larger.
Maybe it was just the adrenalin but I found them very entertaining.
I took the bus back to central Sete Lagoas and my hotel by one of the seven lakes.
Back to Rio.
Vasco da Gama 1 Avai 1.
Played in the superb Sao Janaurio.
There is much to admire in the (listed) external architecture and in the detail of a very old, three sided stadium.
And it also contains a mind boggling trophy room with the 1988 Copa Libertadores cup in pride of place near the entrance.
Vasco led , missed a penalty but could only manage a draw after the ten men of Avai equalised following a goalie error.
The home side pressed forward but found Avai difficult to break down, much to the crowd’s frustration.
At the end I jumped in a taxi, passed the ladies of the night and went back via the metro.
From Rio to Natal.
America (RN) 2 Icasa 0 in Serie B.
Surely nobody, now, would build a football stadium like this one - the Machadao in Natal.
It is somewhat like an elongated version of the Ullevi in Gothenburg only with worse sightlines.
Even being in the side, as I was, you are a considerable distance from the action.
Maybe people used to have better eyesight, or binoculars.
All this will change (I assume) when the ground is updated for the World Cup.
Whatever was going on in the next stadium, perhaps a concert, attracted a lot more people than the 1,500 or so that watched this game.
America scored early from a cross but then the visitors did get more play later in the first half.
But soon after the start of the second period the hosts went further ahead after which the away team (again) had a man sent off.
Despite some close efforts from Icasa America held on OK.
I walked back to the main street and got a taxi to the airport ready for my early morning (1.40 am) flight to Fortaleza.
Ceara 1 Goias 1.
From hot and breezy Natal to hot, breezy and noisy (even at 3am) Fortaleza.
Ceara share the Estadio Castelao with Fortaleza and it is a sizeable stadium reminiscent of a smaller version of the Maracana.
This time there was a much bigger crowd (22,000) and the home fans cranked up the noise to drive on their team, at least until they faded in the second half.
If Ceara do get ever close to the title there would be quite an atmosphere in the Castelao.
The home side led after 18 minutes. But Goias began a period of slow probing with some success.
Their possession football frustrated the home crowd.
Then out the blue Wellington Monteiro smashed in the deserved equaliser for 1-1.
The result helped Goias battle against relegation and dented Ceara´s hopes of a high finish in the Brasiliero.
I took a taxi back to the hotel, strolled along the beach market area, ate some ice cream and went to bed.
Brasiliense 0 Coritiba 1 in Serie B.
To Capital Federal.
A place apart, Brasilia.
Do you have a map ? a tourist office ?
No, but I can arrange a city tour.
Instinctively I declined the offer.
Maybe I should have opted for the tour as the city is not really pedestrian friendly, especially in the hot conditions.
Anyway I embarked on a stroll along the ‘Monumental Axis’, one of the widest roads in the world.
Where you can see the ‘architecture of the future’ in a planned city celebrating 50 years as the capital of Brazil.
A world away from this is the suburb of Taguatinga where Brasiliense play.
I took the metro and once there checked with a security guy as to the correct exit for the ground.
He indicated the direction as well signalling that I should try to avoid being shot (I did)
Brasiliense is a very new club having being formed in 2000 and they wear slightly odd looking yellow colours.
They play at the uninviting Serejao, a 30,000 capacity stadium with a covered main stand and typically open seating all around.
In warm, dry conditions a smallish crowd, of about 2,000, turned out including a reasonable number from Curitiba no doubt encouraged by their high league position.
The local ultras provided some amusement with their antics, at least until they began throwing stones at the opposition fans.
Their counterparts, the Coritiba ultras, happened to arrive just before half time just in time to see the winning goal blasted in by the diminutive Rafinha from a left wing cross.
It was a bit hard on Brasiliense.
But Coritiba remained in control, with their goalie especially effective, to stay near the top of Serie B.
I negotiated the walk back and the metro and was back in the centre of Brasilia by midnight.
Goias 1 Atletico Goias 3.
A Goias clasico.
I took the three hour bus ride from Brasilia to Goiania.
And it was a contrast to be back in a typical Brazilian city after the planned expanse of Brasilia.
The Serra Dourada stadium is on a rise above the city.
It is another large elliptical ground with partial cover and a feeling of being well away from the pitch.
It was hot with little wind for this 7.30pm kick off.
Eventually over 11,000 attended with around three quarters of them supporting Goias.
As both teams are struggling at the wrong end of the table this would be a significant result for the ‘visitors’.
Atletico did deserve the win.
They led after Elias rifled in a left footer, got pegged back when Goias scored from a corner,
and then got the win with two second half goals.
This left most of the crowd very frustrated, many of whom drifted away before the finish.
Relegation could well be on the cards for Goias.
A clasico of sorts but probably not the biggest game in Goiania.
I took a taxi back to my ´palace´hotel (one of a number in Goiania) and chilled a little with the locals whilst watching Corinthians on TV.
Return to Rio.
Fluminense 5 Atletico Mineiro 1.
Played in the Engenhao (Botafogo’s ground) because the Maracana is now being prepared for renovation.
I chose the metro and walk option.
It was soon clear as you approached the ground that there was not going to be a big crowd (6,000) even though Flu are near the top.
Conditions were typically warm, dry and humid.
The pitch was showing signs of wear which is likely to get worse with the extra usage.
The Engenhao seems a lot more modern (European style) after seeing the other stadiums on this trip with its stylish roof, larger sides and small ends.
The Flu fans were at the left hand end and in the side and given their numbers they did produce plenty of noise.
Obviously the performance helped as did the sending off of two players from Atletico.
Fluminense, with Deco in their team, scored first after which Atletico equalised from a free kick and that was the high point for the visitors.
Carlinhos shot in from the left, the headline writers´dream, Gum, headed in for the third before Carlinhos got his second. Substitute Marquinho chipped in the final goal.
It was convincing enough but a harsh scoreline for the visitors.
more pictures at http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/510221175
Election time in Brazil and you can’t move for pictures of the candidates and people giving out leaflets.
ere is a considerable amount of noise, flag waving and fireworks.
the football really.
After an initial overnight stay in Rio I took a flight to Belo Horizonte and then a bus to Sete Lagoas (seven lakes) for Cruzeiros’ match against Guarani.
Cruzeiro 4 Guarani 2.
It was being played in Sete Lagoas, at the Arena do Jacare on the edge of town, because the stadium in Belo Horizonte is being updated for the World Cup.
The ground is of medium size with mostly open seating and, being fairly recently built, without a track.
It made for a good atmosphere.
And the game itself was an excellent, hectic encounter.
Three players stood out - speedy full backs Romulo (Cruzeiro) and Apodi (Guarani) plus Argentinian midfielder Montilla for Cruziero.
Cruzeiro went two nil ahead and then Guarani had a man sent off just before half time.
Although the away side fought back to make it 2-2 Cruzeiro forged ahead in the last fifteen minutes to send the 15,000 fans home to Belo Horizonte, happy.
Also a mention for the mascots, dressed as foxes, one very small, one larger.
Maybe it was just the adrenalin but I found them very entertaining.
I took the bus back to central Sete Lagoas and my hotel by one of the seven lakes.
Back to Rio.
Vasco da Gama 1 Avai 1.
Played in the superb Sao Janaurio.
There is much to admire in the (listed) external architecture and in the detail of a very old, three sided stadium.
And it also contains a mind boggling trophy room with the 1988 Copa Libertadores cup in pride of place near the entrance.
Vasco led , missed a penalty but could only manage a draw after the ten men of Avai equalised following a goalie error.
The home side pressed forward but found Avai difficult to break down, much to the crowd’s frustration.
At the end I jumped in a taxi, passed the ladies of the night and went back via the metro.
From Rio to Natal.
America (RN) 2 Icasa 0 in Serie B.
Surely nobody, now, would build a football stadium like this one - the Machadao in Natal.
It is somewhat like an elongated version of the Ullevi in Gothenburg only with worse sightlines.
Even being in the side, as I was, you are a considerable distance from the action.
Maybe people used to have better eyesight, or binoculars.
All this will change (I assume) when the ground is updated for the World Cup.
Whatever was going on in the next stadium, perhaps a concert, attracted a lot more people than the 1,500 or so that watched this game.
America scored early from a cross but then the visitors did get more play later in the first half.
But soon after the start of the second period the hosts went further ahead after which the away team (again) had a man sent off.
Despite some close efforts from Icasa America held on OK.
I walked back to the main street and got a taxi to the airport ready for my early morning (1.40 am) flight to Fortaleza.
Ceara 1 Goias 1.
From hot and breezy Natal to hot, breezy and noisy (even at 3am) Fortaleza.
Ceara share the Estadio Castelao with Fortaleza and it is a sizeable stadium reminiscent of a smaller version of the Maracana.
This time there was a much bigger crowd (22,000) and the home fans cranked up the noise to drive on their team, at least until they faded in the second half.
If Ceara do get ever close to the title there would be quite an atmosphere in the Castelao.
The home side led after 18 minutes. But Goias began a period of slow probing with some success.
Their possession football frustrated the home crowd.
Then out the blue Wellington Monteiro smashed in the deserved equaliser for 1-1.
The result helped Goias battle against relegation and dented Ceara´s hopes of a high finish in the Brasiliero.
I took a taxi back to the hotel, strolled along the beach market area, ate some ice cream and went to bed.
Brasiliense 0 Coritiba 1 in Serie B.
To Capital Federal.
A place apart, Brasilia.
Do you have a map ? a tourist office ?
No, but I can arrange a city tour.
Instinctively I declined the offer.
Maybe I should have opted for the tour as the city is not really pedestrian friendly, especially in the hot conditions.
Anyway I embarked on a stroll along the ‘Monumental Axis’, one of the widest roads in the world.
Where you can see the ‘architecture of the future’ in a planned city celebrating 50 years as the capital of Brazil.
A world away from this is the suburb of Taguatinga where Brasiliense play.
I took the metro and once there checked with a security guy as to the correct exit for the ground.
He indicated the direction as well signalling that I should try to avoid being shot (I did)
Brasiliense is a very new club having being formed in 2000 and they wear slightly odd looking yellow colours.
They play at the uninviting Serejao, a 30,000 capacity stadium with a covered main stand and typically open seating all around.
In warm, dry conditions a smallish crowd, of about 2,000, turned out including a reasonable number from Curitiba no doubt encouraged by their high league position.
The local ultras provided some amusement with their antics, at least until they began throwing stones at the opposition fans.
Their counterparts, the Coritiba ultras, happened to arrive just before half time just in time to see the winning goal blasted in by the diminutive Rafinha from a left wing cross.
It was a bit hard on Brasiliense.
But Coritiba remained in control, with their goalie especially effective, to stay near the top of Serie B.
I negotiated the walk back and the metro and was back in the centre of Brasilia by midnight.
Goias 1 Atletico Goias 3.
A Goias clasico.
I took the three hour bus ride from Brasilia to Goiania.
And it was a contrast to be back in a typical Brazilian city after the planned expanse of Brasilia.
The Serra Dourada stadium is on a rise above the city.
It is another large elliptical ground with partial cover and a feeling of being well away from the pitch.
It was hot with little wind for this 7.30pm kick off.
Eventually over 11,000 attended with around three quarters of them supporting Goias.
As both teams are struggling at the wrong end of the table this would be a significant result for the ‘visitors’.
Atletico did deserve the win.
They led after Elias rifled in a left footer, got pegged back when Goias scored from a corner,
and then got the win with two second half goals.
This left most of the crowd very frustrated, many of whom drifted away before the finish.
Relegation could well be on the cards for Goias.
A clasico of sorts but probably not the biggest game in Goiania.
I took a taxi back to my ´palace´hotel (one of a number in Goiania) and chilled a little with the locals whilst watching Corinthians on TV.
Return to Rio.
Fluminense 5 Atletico Mineiro 1.
Played in the Engenhao (Botafogo’s ground) because the Maracana is now being prepared for renovation.
I chose the metro and walk option.
It was soon clear as you approached the ground that there was not going to be a big crowd (6,000) even though Flu are near the top.
Conditions were typically warm, dry and humid.
The pitch was showing signs of wear which is likely to get worse with the extra usage.
The Engenhao seems a lot more modern (European style) after seeing the other stadiums on this trip with its stylish roof, larger sides and small ends.
The Flu fans were at the left hand end and in the side and given their numbers they did produce plenty of noise.
Obviously the performance helped as did the sending off of two players from Atletico.
Fluminense, with Deco in their team, scored first after which Atletico equalised from a free kick and that was the high point for the visitors.
Carlinhos shot in from the left, the headline writers´dream, Gum, headed in for the third before Carlinhos got his second. Substitute Marquinho chipped in the final goal.
It was convincing enough but a harsh scoreline for the visitors.
more pictures at http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/510221175
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