In the four years I have been here in Garanhuns I have worked in some way, shape, or form with Sete de Setembro, the local team. The first two I was in the front office and the last two I have worked on game day. These last two I have worked the gate that separates the "arquibancada" (the seating area) from the playing field. On the one hand I get to be right up close, any closer and I would be on the field, On the other, since I control access to who gets on the field, I have to spend a good part of the game telling people "No, you can't come in". It gets to be a problem when I know who the person is, but the person does not have the proper credentials to get in. For example, there is a local radio reporter who does not have the credentials from the Pernambuco Soccer Federation. I know this guy is a reporter, I know he is there to cover the game, but what can I do. The game marshal says only those with the proper credentials get in and I have to keep the gate closed and not let the guy in. Then there are those who just want to get in and ask a player for a shirt or something. It can be stressful if I don't keep my mindfulness.
Anyways, in those four years I have seen a lot. I have seen fans throw chairs onto the field. I have seen two fighting roosters go at it minutes before the game starts. Once two dogs ran onto the field and started copulating mid-game. I thought I had seen everything till Sunday.
Now, understand that our local team is one of three teams fighting for one spot to avoid relegation to the second division of the state championship. Sunday we were playing one of those two teams, Vera Cruz, from Vitoria de Santo Antão. After a lackluster game, Sete scored and held a 1-0 lead in the closing minutes. Now, the stadium lights have been a problem for some time now. When they turned them on, the bottom row (it's two 3x3 sets of lights) did not turn on. Vera Cruz scored what seemed to be a goal, but the ball ended up OUTSIDE the net. The ref first signaled goal, but since he saw the goalie had walked around to get the ball, he came in for a closer look. He saw no openings in the net, so he waved off the goal.
score remains 1-0. Just a side note here, this is the second time this same team, Vera Cruz, has a legitimate goal waved off. They had a goal taken away three years ago.
So the game continues. Now remember I told you the stadium lights had not properly turned on all the way. One of the stadium workers decided to turn off the lights completely and turn them back on, hoping they would all come back correctly. At this point the ref stops the game while they warmed up. He added the extra time and in the final minute, Vera Cruz scores and the game ends tied 1-1. Needless to say both teams went after the ref after the game. Vera Cruz for having a goal taken away, Sete for feeling that more time then necessary was added to the end, and the tie helps no one. The ref has even admitted his mistake and said "oops, sorry.." This all made the NATIONAL news!! Jornal Nacional on Globo showed it all last night and William Bonner even added personal commentary to the whole thing. Vera Cruz wants to have the game annulled, which is easier said then done. Having a marriage annulled by the Catholic Church is easier then getting a game annulled.
