BWC2014 - 19th June (Day 36 - Brasilia 2nd Match Day!)

Sunrise at Vicente Pires!

Today was the second match day in Brasilia between Colombia and Ivory Coast. I was a little too excited and woke up at 3:15am thinking it was time to get ready. Took a while to fall back to sleep.

Borges Eduardo, the future
World Cup superstar!

At 5am, my alarm rang. I was in hallucination but still managed to get ready.  Was surprised to meet my new housemate, a Colombian who arrived yesterday, so early in the morning. Not sure was it a hallucination or that guy have not slept all night!

It was not so cold. The leaves on the tree were as still as the statue! I was greeted by a stunning sunrise at my neighbourhood!

I wonder if the players have time for this

Not sure why it was so quiet with no buses. First one came and it was full! At 6:31am, I starting to feel a little tense. Worried the queue outside the Volunteer Centre will be too long for me to make it on time! A team member who was already there messaged that it was still quiet at the moment. It didn't help much to loosen the intense.

The spirit of holding hands should be
implemented to all the players too!

I saw a security guard at the bus stop because she was wearing her accreditation tag. She spotted my uniform and brought me along to take a different bus. Wine (her father loves wine too much) took the bus everyday from 7am to the stadium. This bus was better because it goes directly opposite the stadium, and hence I don't have to transfer to another bus at the terminal.  I thanked her very much and walked to the stadium together.  The excitement was building up.

Empty dressing room awaiting the
Ivory Coast's team.

The queue was pretty long. Started to panic. Ale was with me.  She was in a rush too.  We managed to get through the check-in around 7:15am and saw Tony immediately.  He was on the cart and Ale had already hopped on and leaving. Didn't know what was going on, I called out and chased them. After leaving my backpack to a fellow team member, we drove to the stadium.

I realised later that they were just going

Preparing for final round of rehearsal

through the morning tasks filling up the dressing rooms with snacks.  I could have stayed at the Volunteer Centre to enjoy my cup of coffee. 

Brazuca getting ready for
the "match"

Flavia told me the rehearsal would be at 8am. I was a little worried that I would miss it, since still mingling around the dressing room after eight!  But Tony reassured me all was well.  He sent me to the Youth Centre and at 8:30am, the rest of the volunteers involved in the rehearsal were waiting outside as well.

We walked to the stadium together with the kids.  After a short wait, all of us got into position at the alley, each holding the hand of a kid. Just like the professional players when they were about to walk into the field during a game.  Many were already busy taking photos.  I took the opportunity to snap one with Borges Eduardo as well.  He was a very shy boy.  I wished he would grown up

I'm stepping on the field!!!!!

as a successful person.  I was the "Ivory Coast" player.  The flag bearer went in first.  We followed behind.  The Ivory Coast's national anthem was aired after the Colombian.  The camera man would focused on the first few players at the side.  My head was down, occasionally closing
my eyes.  Trying to feel like the national hero, Drogba.  Towards the end, I even looked up into the stadium as if I were praying!  After the national anthems, we clapped hands and then moved to our right for the hand-shaking session with the "referee" and our "opponents". 

Interviews area...

All these ended with high fives with my fellow "team mates" and then "warming up" to get ready for.... obviously not for the game, but for the next round of rehearsal!  I told the volunteer next to me that, we probably should keep doing it wrongly to get into the field again!!  We did the same again two more rounds.  These times, I was with Gabriel Colt instead.  He was even more shy than Borges.  After the rehearsal was completed, we took more photos. 

Walking back to the Youth Centre..

I walked back to the Volunteer Centre myself.  It was almost time to help for lunch. Today, we were short of hands. There were only two of us at the drink counters with only one puncher!  

Cool Colombian fan!

Around 2, Bid brought the next four to Media Tribute area, including myself.  The second half has just begun when we were there. It was my first experience in such a big stadium.  The whole stadium was in yellow, filled with so many Colombian fans!  The atmosphere was just amazing!!  The screams were so loud.  I was carrying the water bottles walking up and down handing out the drinks to the media staffs, whom were busy catching the game.  Once a while, I would stopped to catch a glimpse of the game.  I was very lucky to witness all the three goals scored in the game, although I didn'

The amazing crowd in a wonderful stadium!

t literally saw the goals as they happened.  Colombia won two one that day. The fans went crazy!  Watching a live match is a must-do-thing before one dies!

Counting down to kick off!

After the game has finished, many fans were still lingering around celebrating.  Then, I saw a lot of Colombian fans gathering near a section of the Media Tribute.  They were trying to snap photographs and some of them even seemed to calling out for someone in the Media.  Eventually, a guy walked over to the fans and took photos with them.  Only did I realised he was Faustino Asprilla, the legendary Colombian striker!  I was a stone-throw away from him!!

After an amazing day, Bid sent me to the terminal to catch the bus home.  Something very different that I noticed today at the stadium as well.  There were not only parents bringing little kids and babies to the stadium, but even pregnant women, with a stomach like she was going to deliver any moment, also came to such a crowded place to watch a match.  This would never happened in my country!  Not at least when the kids are a few years old.  Asian also tends to be very cautious, often overly cautious, when it comes to pregnancy!